The wi-fi {industry} has revolutionized the way in which we join, from facilitating teleworking, distance studying, and telemedicine to permitting the American public to work together nearly in nearly all different elements of their every day lives. Main policymakers – federal regulators and legislators – are making it a prime precedence to make sure that the wi-fi {industry} has the instruments and sources it must maintain tempo with this evolving panorama. This weblog gives month-to-month updates on actions by federal regulatory our bodies chargeable for communications coverage and Congressional efforts to assist wi-fi connectivity. And this month we spotlight the FCC’s initiative to make further mid-band spectrum obtainable for 5G and 6G companies.
Regulatory Actions and Initiatives
Spectrum
The FCC Proposes to Repurpose the Higher C-band. On November 21, 2025, the Fee adopted a Discover of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) that proposes to make no less than 100 megahertz, and as a lot as 180 megahertz, of the three.98-4.2 GHz band (the “Higher C-band”) obtainable for business wi-fi companies. The Fee’s motion is per the One Huge Lovely Invoice Act (“OBBBA”), which directs the Fee to public sale this spectrum by July 4, 2027. As a result of the Fee beforehand transitioned the three.7-3.98 GHz band (the “Decrease C-band”) to business wi-fi use, the NPRM proposes to repurpose and use a lot of the identical framework that was utilized for that transition, together with by making use of the present service guidelines relevant to the Decrease C-band to any newly licensed terrestrial wi-fi operations within the Higher C-band, providing incentive funds for accelerated clearing of the spectrum, and establishing an approximate timeline for clearing the band in 5 and a half years. Within the information launch concerning the adoption of the merchandise, the Fee acknowledged that the NPRM represents “a important step towards releasing a big swath of mid-band spectrum for America’s innovators.” Chairman Carr additionally famous in this launch that “President Trump has been clear that America goes to guide the world in next-generation applied sciences” and that his proposal “goals to maximise the quantity of [Upper C-band] spectrum obtainable for 5G and 6G companies.” Feedback and reply feedback on the NPRM are due January 5, 2026, and February 3, 2026, respectively.
The FCC Asks About Higher C-band Incumbents. Following the Public Discover launched in September, on which we beforehand reported, the Area Bureau launched a Public Discover on November 19, 2025, to make sure corrections to its listing of Higher C-band earth stations that have been beforehand discovered to be incumbent earth stations for functions of the sooner transition of the Decrease C-band. This up to date listing, which is present as of November 14, 2025, displays adjustments made to the listing of incumbent earth stations launched on March 3, 2023, together with, normally, the removing of inactive antennas and the give up of authorizations in addition to different ministerial updates. A changelog can be included. The Area Bureau reminds incumbent earth station operators that they need to maintain their registrations updated on the Fee, which can assist facilitate the transition of the Higher C-band.
The FCC Clarifies the Schedule for the Pending Attraction within the Decrease C-band. Along with the actions above, the FCC’s ALJ issued an Order Revising Pleading Deadlines within the de novo evaluate of the Relocation Fee Clearinghouse’s partial denial of Anuvu Licensing Holdings, LLC’s (“Anuvu’s”) C-band reimbursement declare, on which we beforehand reported. The Order clarifies that the listening to continuing is now not suspended and units the next new deadlines:
- Enforcement Bureau’s Response Case was due November 21, 2025
- Anuvu’s Reply Case is due December 19, 2025
- Requests for extra written submissions and for oral listening to or argument are due January 9, 2026
The FCC Units a New Pleading Cycle for SpaceX and EchoStar’s Amended Functions. In response to a number of new and amended filings made by Area Exploration Applied sciences Corp. (“SpaceX”) to its purposes to amass sure spectrum licenses from EchoStar Company (“EchoStar”), the FCC’s Wi-fi Telecommunications Bureau (“WTB”) and Area Bureau launched a Public Discover tolling the unique pleading cycle for the events’ transaction. As we beforehand reported, SpaceX’s unique filings included purposes to assign EchoStar’s AWS-4 and H Block wi-fi licenses and earth station licenses to SpaceX. SpaceX’s amended filings now additionally included the task of EchoStar’s AWS-3 licenses to SpaceX. On November 25, 2025, the Bureaus launched this Public Discover to announce that they’ve discovered the amended purposes to be acceptable for submitting and that the pleading cycle for filings on the transaction shall be as follows:
- Petitions to Deny Due: December 15, 2025
- Oppositions Due: December 29, 2025
- Replies Due: January 8, 2026
The FCC Seeks Touch upon SpaceX’s Utility to Present Supplemental Protection from Area Companies Utilizing EchoStar’s Spectrum. Associated to the purposes above, the WTB and Area Bureau launched this Public Discover to announce that they’ve accepted for submitting an software (as amended) filed by SpaceX for authority to function a brand new non-geostationary orbit (“NGSO”) system to offer supplemental protection from house (“SCS”) companies, conduct mobile-satellite service (“MSS”) operations, and carry out associated fixed-satellite service (“FSS”) and telemetry, monitoring, and management operations (“TT&C”). Particularly, SpaceX seeks authority to offer SCS utilizing the 2000-2025 MHz band, H Block, and AWS-3 spectrum that it’ll obtain from EchoStar (along with the PCS G Block spectrum it leases from T-Cellular). SpaceX additionally seeks authority to offer MSS outdoors of the U.S. – utilizing, amongst others, the L-band – and to carry out FSS backhaul and TT&C in numerous frequency bands. In reference to its software, SpaceX requests a number of waivers. The pleading cycle on the appliance and waiver requests is as follows:
- Feedback/Petitions to Deny Due: January 5, 2026
- Response to Feedback/Oppositions to Petition Due: January 15, 2026
- Replies to Responses/Oppositions Due: January 22, 2026
The FCC Reminds Incumbents within the 3.5 GHz Band to File for Safety. On November 20, 2025, the WTB, Workplace of Engineering and Expertise (“OET”), and Area Bureau launched a Public Discover reminding operators of grandfathered FSS earth stations which can be entitled to safety from Residents Broadband Radio Service (“CBRS”) customers – together with these within the 3.6-3.7 GHz band and TT&C stations within the 3.7-4.2 GHz band – of their annual December 1 registration requirement. After January 1, 2026, registrations that haven’t been accomplished could also be deactivated or deleted, and the positioning will now not benefit safety by the Spectrum Entry System directors.
NTIA Launches Mission LA 2028. NTIA introduced that it has launched Mission LA 2028, which it describes as a undertaking that can “display the groundbreaking potential of early 6G applied sciences.” NTIA defined that, by means of this industry-led initiative, stakeholders will “plan, fund, and present the proposed 6G demos on the Summer time Olympics” in LA. It added that events ought to contact NTIA at [email protected] to obtain extra details about the best way to take part and that events ought to submit a signed Letter of Intent by January 30, 2026.
The FCC Establishes a Pleading Cycle for its Proposed Modifications to Millimeter Wave Spectrum. The NPRM on which we beforehand reported that seeks touch upon a variety of proposals to facilitate extra intensive use of the Higher Microwave Versatile Use Service bands, together with the 24 GHz, 28 GHz, higher 37 GHz, 39 GHz, 47 GHz, and 50 GHz bands, was revealed within the Federal Register on December 3, 2025. Accordingly, feedback and reply feedback shall be due January 2, 2026, and February 2, 2026, respectively.
Wi-fi Networks, Tools, and Infrastructure
The FCC Solicits Feedback on Airspan’s Revised Petition for Use of Spectrum within the 3 GHz Band. On November 21, 2025, the WTB and OET launched a Public Discover searching for touch upon a revised petition for waiver filed by Airspan Networks, Inc. (“Airspan”) that seeks a waiver of the Fee’s out-of-band emission (“OOBE”) limits for the three.45 GHz band. Within the revised petition, Airspan argues that the units included in its request conform to all OOBE necessities for the CBRS band, so the objections relating to CBRS OOBE reduction that have been filed in opposition to Airspan’s unique petition are now not related. Airspan additionally clarifies that its revised petition doesn’t search the power to function within the 3.45 GHz band on a standalone foundation, which is per a waiver that was granted to Ericsson within the FCC’s Ericsson Waiver Order. Feedback and reply feedback on Airspan’s revised petition are due December 22, 2025, and January 5, 2026, respectively.
The FCC Reminds Rip-and-Change Help Recipients About Their Quarterly Standing Replace Deadline and Updates its Steerage. On November 25, 2025, the FCC’s Wireline Competitors Bureau launched a Public Discover reminding all rip-and-replace assist recipients of their obligation to file a standing replace with the FCC by December 29, 2025. Help recipients are below the persevering with obligation to file standing updates each 90 days till they file their ultimate certification.
The FCC Establishes a Pleading Cycle for its Proposals to Streamline Wi-fi Infrastructure Deployment. The NPRM searching for touch upon methods to speed up the buildout of wi-fi infrastructure was revealed within the Federal Register on December 1, 2025. As we beforehand reported, the NPRM seeks touch upon steps the FCC might take to stop or restrict the power of state and native allowing laws to ban (or have the impact of prohibiting) deployment of wi-fi infrastructure amenities and whether or not the FCC ought to implement various dispute decision procedures or an accelerated “rocket docket” course of to facilitate the decision of allowing disputes. Feedback and reply feedback on the FCC’s proposals shall be due December 31, 2025, and January 15, 2026, respectively.
The FCC Establishes a Pleading Cycle for its Proposals to Allow the Jamming of Contraband Telephones. The Third Additional Discover on which we beforehand reported that proposes to allow using jamming options to stop using contraband wi-fi units in correctional amenities was revealed within the Federal Register on November 26, 2025. Feedback and reply feedback on the FCC’s proposals will due to this fact be due December 26, 2025, and January 12, 2026, respectively.
Legislative Efforts
Senate to Maintain FCC Oversight Listening to. The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will maintain a listening to on December 17, 2025 at 10:00 am to conduct oversight of the FCC. Every of the FCC commissioners will testify.
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