This bill, titled the "Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2025," aims to significantly expand the availability of spectrum for commercial and unlicensed use. It mandates the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, in consultation with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to identify at least 2500 megahertz of spectrum within the 1.3 gigahertz to 13.2 gigahertz band for reallocation. Of this, a minimum of 1250 megahertz must be designated for full-power commercial licensed use cases , supporting high-density wireless broadband services. The identification process is phased, with 1250 megahertz to be identified within two years and the remainder within five years. Following identification, the FCC is required to auction the commercial licensed spectrum, completing bidding for at least 600 megahertz within three years and the rest within six years. Additionally, the bill directs the FCC to make at least 125 megahertz available for unlicensed use within two years and any remaining identified spectrum for licensed or unlicensed use within eight years. It also includes extensive reporting requirements and annual briefings to Congress on the progress of spectrum identification and reallocation. Furthermore, the legislation modernizes the Spectrum Relocation Fund by shortening congressional notification timelines for fund use. It also amends the definition of "relocation or sharing costs" to include expenses for replacing systems with state-of-the-art equipment , provided it enables the reallocation of significantly more valuable spectrum and does not jeopardize the overall reallocation effort. The bill also extends the FCC's auction authority, specifically for the covered band, until eight years after the act's enactment.
Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better
Timeline
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Science, Technology, Communications
Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2025
USA119th CongressHR-651| House
| Updated: 1/23/2025
This bill, titled the "Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2025," aims to significantly expand the availability of spectrum for commercial and unlicensed use. It mandates the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, in consultation with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to identify at least 2500 megahertz of spectrum within the 1.3 gigahertz to 13.2 gigahertz band for reallocation. Of this, a minimum of 1250 megahertz must be designated for full-power commercial licensed use cases , supporting high-density wireless broadband services. The identification process is phased, with 1250 megahertz to be identified within two years and the remainder within five years. Following identification, the FCC is required to auction the commercial licensed spectrum, completing bidding for at least 600 megahertz within three years and the rest within six years. Additionally, the bill directs the FCC to make at least 125 megahertz available for unlicensed use within two years and any remaining identified spectrum for licensed or unlicensed use within eight years. It also includes extensive reporting requirements and annual briefings to Congress on the progress of spectrum identification and reallocation. Furthermore, the legislation modernizes the Spectrum Relocation Fund by shortening congressional notification timelines for fund use. It also amends the definition of "relocation or sharing costs" to include expenses for replacing systems with state-of-the-art equipment , provided it enables the reallocation of significantly more valuable spectrum and does not jeopardize the overall reallocation effort. The bill also extends the FCC's auction authority, specifically for the covered band, until eight years after the act's enactment.