Reconciliation Proposal Promising but Needs Work to Protect CBRS, Smaller Players

The following statement may be attributed to David Zumwalt, President & CEO, WISPA – The Association for Broadband without Boundaries:

Washington, DC, May 13, 2025 – WISPA commends the U.S. House of Representatives for putting forward a reconciliation proposal, which includes provisions that would restore the FCC’s authority to conduct spectrum auctions. Auctioning spectrum is a vital tool for moving underused or fallow airwaves into productive commercial service—spurring economic growth, driving innovation, and expanding access to wireless connectivity for all Americans.

Wireless services are now essential to everyday life, touching every community—urban, suburban, and rural alike. Enabling more spectrum for commercial use helps secure our communications landscape, encouraging innovation, competition, and opportunity.

WISPA is concerned, however, that the current House proposal leaves vulnerable the widely used Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) band from future auction consideration. This omission is concerning as CBRS is a proven success story—over 60% of WISPA members use CBRS to deliver high-quality broadband to hard-to-serve and previously unserved Americans. The band supports dynamic sharing with incumbent federal users, enabling spectrum efficiency without displacement and it has become a model of innovation, investment, and public-private cooperation. In addition to rural broadband providers, the band is broadly utilized by precision agriculture interests, private network providers and by a significant portion of the cable industry. Leaving CBRS at risk not only undermines the band’s progress, but also the broader promise of shared spectrum models critical to unlocking the full potential of limited spectrum resources.

The purpose of spectrum auctions must extend beyond generating revenue for the U.S. Treasury, ensuring the most effective use of this public resource. We appreciate the Committee’s goals and actions to provide as much spectrum availability as possible, and we remain committed to advocating for the small and rural providers who operate on the front lines of the digital divide.

WISPA – Broadband Without Boundaries

WISPA’s approximately 1000 members provide fixed broadband connectivity and include equipment suppliers, support services, and other industry partners and stakeholders. Our members provide broadband access to millions of residential and business customers in rural, urban, and Tribal areas across America. 

Contact
Mike Wendy
WISPA
202-763-5257
mwendy@wispa.org