- It’s still in the study phase, but the 4.4 GHz band could be made available to wireless carriers for 6G
- Three other federal spectrum bands being considered are the 1.6 GHz, 2.7 GHz and 7 GHz
- NTIA is positioning the 4.4 GHz work as part of a broader push to keep the U.S. ahead in 6G
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced that the Trump Administration has cleared plans to study the 4.4 GHz band for wireless carriers to use in 6G.
NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth said NTIA, which oversees the use of federal spectrum, has responded to the call from Congress and President Trump to act with urgency in reallocating federal spectrum for commercial use to ensure the U.S. leads the world in 6G.
“With today’s announcement on 4.4 GHz, every one of our four pipeline bands is now advancing simultaneously – a historic first that demonstrates we are operating with the speed and precision needed to fulfill our mandate," she said in a statement.
The other three spectrum bands under study are the 1.6 GHz, 2.7 GHz and 7 GHz bands.
The 4.4 GHz still must undergo a review process by the Commerce and Appropriations Committees before the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) can release the requested funds for the study.
NTIA is under a Congressional mandate to identify 500 MHz of federal spectrum for commercial use in five years. In December, the president directed NTIA to complete its study of the 7.125-7.4 GHz band within 12 months.
According to NTIA, these mandates are central to ensuring the U.S. leads in 6G.
Why 4.4 GHz looks good for 6G
Currently, at least a dozen federal agencies use the 4.4 GHz band, with the Department of Defense and Department of Justice being the largest incumbents.
As Fierce previously reported, the 4.4 GHz band is attractive for 6G for several reasons. It’s free of legacy commercial services, and the current DoD users for radar and tactical systems are well understood. The propagation characteristics at 4.4 GHz are generally similar to the C-band and it offers a contiguous 500 MHz band.
Panelists at a 6G forum earlier this week said the good news for the U.S. is a spectrum pipeline is in place, with the upper C-band auction tentatively set to start on April 27, 2027, although that spectrum won’t be ready for deployment until December 2030 for top markets and July 2031 for other areas. Juniper Research expects the first 6G connections to launch in late 2029.
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