"Many consumers and business rely on a broad mix of technologies that use both licensed and unlicensed spectrum, so a good national spectrum policy will balance ensuring both licensed and unlicensed spectrum users have access to adequate spectrum bandwidth." – Nick Krosse, American Action Forum.

NTIA praised a new OMB memorandum that removes delays in the federal spectrum repurposing process, helping accelerate 6G spectrum identification, auction readiness, and future wireless innovation.

NTIA announced the Trump Administration cleared plans to study the 4.4 GHz band for 6G commercial use, marking the first time all four pipeline bands—1.6 GHz, 2.7 GHz, 4.4 GHz, and 7 GHz—are advancing simultaneously toward the goal of identifying 500 MHz of federal spectrum for 6G.

The FCC committed to auctioning the 2.7 GHz mid-band spectrum in 2028 to support 6G development, pending NTIA technical analysis to clear portions of the band for commercial use. Industry players like T-Mobile and CTIA have endorsed the 2.7 GHz auction as a key step in accelerating US 6G leadership.

The FCC formally adopted rules to auction 160 MHz of Upper C-Band spectrum by July 2027, uniting it with the Lower C-Band into a 440 MHz mid-band "super band" the agency says no other industrialized country can match.

"For 250 years, yesterday's 'inferior' technology has repeatedly become tomorrow's indispensable infrastructure. If history is any guide, the defining applications of AI-native 6G have not yet been invented. Our job is not to predict them. It is to ensure that America remains the place where they are discovered," - Arielle Roth, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, NTIA.

"America's wireless leadership is back. After years of falling behind other countries, President Trump and Congress restored the FCC's spectrum auction authority in the One Big Beautiful Bill and established an aggressive spectrum pipeline," - Brendan Carr, FCC Chairman.

"Congress set ambitious timelines, and we are committed to meeting—and where possible exceeding—them," - Arielle Roth, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, NTIA.

“Moving quickly to make this spectrum available for commercial use is critical if the United States stands a shot at winning the 6G race and securing nationwide connectivity. The importance of 6G cannot be understated,” – David Witkowski.

“The U.S. cannot win the 6G race through perfect planning and deliberation. It can only win by getting spectrum in the hands of innovators faster than its competitors. In the case of 2.7GHz, the clock is already running,” – Mark Dalton, R Street.

NTIA launched Spectrum.gov, a centralized hub to track federal spectrum policy and 6G pipeline progress, including its evaluation of the 2.7 GHz and 4 GHz bands for commercial licensed use alongside the 7 GHz band. NTIA administrator Arielle Roth described these bands as offering the right mix of coverage, capacity, and contiguous channels needed for 6G.

NTIA reported that relocation plans for the 2.7 GHz band awaited congressional funding approval from the Spectrum Relocation Fund, with a 54-day decision window, positioning the band for auction as quickly as possible to advance 6G.

"This is a pivotal moment for American leadership in 5G and 6G. The next generation of wireless will power advances in AI, robotics, and beyond, and that leadership will shape both our economic future and our national security. And it all starts with getting spectrum policy right—here at home and on the global stage," - Arielle Roth, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, NTIA.

At the CTIA Summit, NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr outlined a coordinated effort to free up 800 MHz of federal spectrum for commercial use by 2034 to support 6G, satellite, and AI, with the 2.7 GHz band's relocation plans having cleared key review steps to position it for potential auction. Carr confirmed the FCC was targeting an upper C-band auction in 2027 and potential additional auctions in 2028.

NTIA completed key technical reviews of federal spectrum relocation plans and cost estimates for the 2.7 GHz band, moving it closer to commercial availability for 6G development. This milestone also enabled primary federal users like NOAA and the FAA to begin repurposing the band in future radar procurement.

"President Trump delivered a once-in-a-generation opportunity to modernize federal systems, improve spectrum efficiency, and unlock high-power commercial access to advance American wireless innovation. NTIA is executing on that mandate with urgency. This milestone brings us one step closer to ensuring the American people realize the full benefit of this spectrum as quickly as possible," - Brendan Carr, FCC Chairman.

“Enabling consumers to benefit from these innovations at affordable price points requires us to stand firm on the successful policies of the past: bringing sufficient spectrum to market and modernizing permitting processes so tomorrow’s networks are not built with yesterday’s rules,” – Ajit Pai, CTIA.

"As 6G development accelerates, now is the time to translate these commitments into action—by aligning standards and spectrum strategy, strengthening trusted supply chains, and ensuring security and resilience are built into networks from the start. We must translate principles into policy, and policy into results," - Arielle Roth, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, NTIA.

The FCC announced a vote to expand unlicensed use of the 6 GHz band by creating a new class of higher-power, outdoor-capable "geofenced variable power" (GVP) devices to enable faster Wi-Fi and next-generation applications like AR/VR and IoT.

President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill restored the FCC's auction authority and directed it to open a broad swath of spectrum from 1.3 GHz to 10.5 GHz for commercial sale, including a mandate for "timely spectrum analysis" of the 2.7-to-2.9 GHz band for potential 6G expansion.

"This strategic approach will enable the U.S. to capture significant economic benefits, attract talent and investment, and maintain its global leadership in wireless technology. Failure to act could lead to network degradation, economic losses, and a diminished role in setting global standards, allowing other nations to shape the future of wireless connectivity and the next wave of innovation." – Accenture.

“The economic impact of providing each additional 100 MHz of mid-band spectrum is projected to be profound, generating over $260 billion in GDP, 1.5 million jobs, and nearly $390 billion in consumer surplus, and provide new terrestrial broadband coverage for 275k households.” – National Economic Research Associates (NERA).