Kathy Grillo, SVP, public policy & government affairs at US telco Verizon, speaking on reports that the US government wanted to access more C-band spectrum for terrestrial use, said Verizon welcomed the news.

“We are now years past the last auction of mid-band spectrum and we are far from where we need to be as a country to meet skyrocketing consumer demand and to remain the global leader on 5G and beyond,” Grillo stated.

The news helped propel satellite share prices upward. SES rose from €3.20 to €3.52 in trading on February 6th, whilst Viasat, EchoStar and Eutelsat also all benefited.

“The FCC’s announcements on C-band has seen FCC Chairman Carr taking an important step in meeting this urgent need,” Grillo added.

Her remarks, as well as the FCC’s message of February 5th and which referred to C-band and Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) could be important for the satellite sector.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said: “This month, we will vote to kickstart the process for reauctioning a large number of AWS-3 spectrum licences that have sat in inventory for years. This auction will be a win-win. It brings new spectrum into play for commercial use. And the proceeds from this auction will also cover the costs of the national security initiative known as ‘rip and replace’ —an effort that is removing untrustworthy technology, like Huawei and ZTE gear, from networks. Specifically, our AWS-3 notice of proposed rule-making will ensure that the Commission is on track to meet its statutory obligation to complete this auction by June 23, 2026.”

“This month, we will vote on a notice of inquiry that asks whether the Commission should open up additional portions of the C-band (3.98-4.2 GHz) for more intensive use,” he added.

It is not yet clear what this means for the satellite industry, and how they might participate in any FCC auction.

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Categories: Articles, Broadband, Broadcast, Business, DTH/Satellite, Policy, Regulation, Satellite

Tags: C-band, FCC, Kathy Grillo, Verizon