<p>The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)&nbsp;announced a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on its plan&nbsp;to auction up to 180 MHz of spectrum in the 3.87 to 4.2 GHz&nbsp;(upper C&nbsp;band)&nbsp;for next-gen wireless services.&nbsp;The auction&nbsp;must&nbsp;be underway no later than July 4, 2027.&nbsp;The FCC plans to apply the framework used in the 2020 lower C-band auction (3.7-3.98 GHz), which allocated 280 MHz for flexible wireless use and expanded 5G access.&nbsp;The agency says it&nbsp;will maintain “close&nbsp;coordination”&nbsp;with the FAA to ensure adjacent-band radio altimeters can coexist safely with new 5G and 6G services. Previous 5G rollouts caused flight disruptions due to altimeter interference,&nbsp;and&nbsp;ADs&nbsp;mandated&nbsp;retrofits.&nbsp;The FAA is expected to adopt new radio altimeter standards&nbsp;before&nbsp;the auction, ensuring that 5G and future 6G services can operate without disrupting aviation safety.&nbsp;Comments on the FCC NPRM&nbsp;are due by&nbsp;Jan. 5, 2026. Reply comments are due by Feb. 3, 2026.</p>


U.S.: Expanded Use of Upper C Band

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U.S.: Expanded Use of Upper C Band

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