The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a rule that would allow a full ten megahertz transition of the 900 MHz band for broadband use. The plan relies on private agreements between applicants and licensees in each county.
The FCC is seeking public comments, with a deadline of May 16, 2025, on whether current 900 MHz broadband rules, including eligibility criteria, application procedures, licensing, and technical requirements, are sufficient for this transition. The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau has been given authority to modify or lift the existing freeze on certain applications in the 900 MHz band.
The proposal follows a 2020 decision in which the FCC reallocated six of the ten megahertz in the 900 MHz band for broadband. That decision allowed broadband services to operate under a negotiation-based framework, where private agreements enabled broadband use on a county-by-county basis. The remaining four megahertz were kept for narrowband operations. The FCC also permitted broadband licensees to relocate some incumbents under certain conditions while ensuring continued narrowband use.
In February 2024, ten entities filed a petition requesting an expansion of broadband allocation in the 900 MHz band. The petition proposed an option for full ten megahertz broadband use, which they argued would provide additional capacity for utilities, critical infrastructure, and business networks. Under the proposal, narrowband incumbents would remain protected unless private agreements were reached to transition them. The petitioners stated that no changes to interference protections, technical rules, or performance requirements would be necessary for implementation. They also proposed maintaining existing financial obligations for broadband licensees.
The FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeks input on how to structure the transition, including whether current rules are sufficient. The Commission also plans to determine whether the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau should continue, modify, or lift the current freeze on certain applications within the band.
