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Vote would make mid-band spectrum available for 5G
The Keep GPS Working Coalition issued the following statement in support of an anticipated March 17 vote by U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) commissioners that would make the 3.45–3.55 GHz band a contiguous block of “mid-band” spectrum, available for auction and deployment of high-speed wireless 5G networks.
“The Keep GPS Working Coalition applauds the FCC for its consideration of this matter, which holds promise as a crucial step in the race to 5G and presents an opportunity for advancement without threatening the availability and reliability of GPS. We encourage the FCC to use this as an opportunity to showcase a bipartisan commitment to moving expeditiously to make this mid-band spectrum available for auction by early October.
“The Department of Defense has also demonstrated its sustained commitment to advance the deployment of 5G services. We are grateful to the DoD for its leadership and cooperation with the FCC to make spectrum available for commercial use where it can while protecting national defense interests.
“The spectrum being considered for auction is internationally harmonized and can be used nearly everywhere in the continental United States to the benefit of the entire country, including Keep GPS Working Coalition members. Importantly, it will advance this critical priority without the risk of harmful interference to GPS currently posed by Ligado Networks, proving that 5G and GPS can coexist.”