FCC Votes to Reconfigure C‑Band and Auction 160 MHz to Create Mid‑Band ‘Super‑Band’

Overview

• The Federal Communications Commission voted on July 22, 2026 to adopt an order that folds Upper and Lower C‑band into a single contiguous 3.7–4.14 GHz service and to auction 160 megahertz of Upper C‑band by July 2027.
• The order reconfigures 3.98–4.14 GHz for terrestrial flexible use, sets a 20 MHz guard band at 4.14–4.16 GHz to protect adjacent services, and establishes competitive bidding rules for the July 2027 sale.
• Chairman Brendan Carr said the auction could raise roughly $30 billion to $60 billion or more for the U.S. Treasury while the FCC estimates using the band could add about $264 billion to GDP, support 1.5 million jobs, and deliver nearly $390 billion in consumer benefits.
• To prevent interference with aircraft radio altimeters, the FCC coordinated the rollout with the FAA and tied the start of terrestrial operations in top markets to altimeter retrofit work that begins in December 2030.
• Industry and opinion leaders praised the faster timeline and called for a durable, multiyear U.S. spectrum plan and changes to how federal agencies hold and monetize spectrum while satellite incumbents will need to relocate or be compensated under the new rules.