FCC Sticks With Dec. 8 C-Band Auction, Pai Notes as He Circulates Procedures

Bidding on using the C band for things like 5G, necessitating moving satellite operators, is one FCC auction that won't be delayed due to COVID-19 and its fallout. Chairman Ajit Pai made the announcement Wednesday as he disclosed items for the Aug. 6 commissioners' meeting.

"When we crafted our rules for repurposing the C-band, we prioritized making this spectrum available for 5G as quickly as possible," Pai blogged. "Even though the Commission effectively shut down our headquarters less than a month after we adopted the C-band Order, we’re fully on track and sticking to the schedule."

Pai said he circulated "final draft procedures" for the auction Wednesday. "To spur the deployment of ultra-fast, world-leading 5G networks, we need to make C-band spectrum (among other spectrum bands) available as quickly as possible," he added. "If the Commission adopts this plan to launch this auction in December, barely nine months after adopting rules, that’s exactly what we’ll be doing."