U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched its first spectrum auction in four years, marking a significant step in expanding wireless network capacity and strengthening the country’s 5G infrastructure. The AWS-3 spectrum auction, formally designated as Auction 113, will make available 200 spectrum licenses that have remained unused for more than a decade.
The auction covers license areas serving more than 100 million consumers across 48 U.S. states, two territories, and the Gulf of America. Major metropolitan markets included in the auction include New York, Chicago, Boston, Tampa, and Charlotte.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr welcomed the start of the auction, emphasizing the importance of spectrum availability for the wireless industry.
“The FCC is back in the game. Spectrum auctions are the lifeblood of licensed wireless service, and it has been far too long since the FCC has run an auction,” Brendan Carr said. He added that increased spectrum availability would support network expansion, strengthen competition, and help lower costs for consumers.
AWS-3 Spectrum Details
The AWS-3 auction includes spectrum licenses in three frequency ranges:
1695-1710 MHz
1755-1780 MHz
2155-2180 MHz
Collectively, the auction offers more than 1.4 billion MHz-POPs (Megahertz Population), a standard industry metric calculated by multiplying spectrum bandwidth by the population covered by the licenses.
The spectrum being auctioned was originally offered in the FCC’s 2014 AWS-3 auction. However, a number of winning bidders later defaulted or withdrew their bids, leaving approximately 200 licenses unsold. As a result, these spectrum assets remained unused in the FCC’s inventory for nearly ten years.
Funding Network Security Initiatives
Revenue generated from Auction 113 will help fund the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program, commonly known as the “rip and replace” initiative. The program supports the removal of untrusted communications equipment (Huawei and ZTE) from U.S. telecom networks and enhances national communications security.
Supporting America’s Wireless Leadership
The AWS-3 auction forms part of the FCC’s broader Build America Agenda, which seeks to expand spectrum availability and reinforce U.S. leadership in wireless technology. The Commission is advancing plans to make 800 MHz of additional spectrum available by 2034, supporting future 5G and emerging 6G services.
Spectrum auctions have played a critical role in the development of the U.S. wireless industry over the past three decades. By returning unused AWS-3 licenses to the market, the FCC aims to accelerate network investment, improve mobile broadband services, and ensure that valuable airwaves are put to productive commercial use.
