# 2026-15725: FCC Plans Massive Wireless License Auction—Bidder Comments Wanted 2026-15725, Auction of Flexible-Use Licenses in the Upper C-Band for Next-Generation Wireless Services Scheduled for April 27, 2027; Comment Sought on Competitive Bidding Procedures for Auction 115, is a Federal Register proposed rule from Federal Communications Commission published 2026-08-03, effective 2027-04-27; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-10). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15725 - As of: 2026-08-10 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2026-15725 - Title: Auction of Flexible-Use Licenses in the Upper C-Band for Next-Generation Wireless Services Scheduled for April 27, 2027; Comment Sought on Competitive Bidding Procedures for Auction 115 - Type: Proposed Rule - Agencies: Federal Communications Commission - Citation: 91 FR 48809 - Published: 2026-08-03 - Effective: 2027-04-27 - Comments close: 2026-08-24 - Significant: no - Touches household money: yes - Regulation identifier numbers: none - Last updated: 2026-08-10 ## In one line FCC Plans Massive Wireless License Auction—Bidder Comments Wanted ## Summary The FCC is gearing up to auction 3,248 flexible-use licenses in the 3.98-4.14 GHz band on April 27, 2027, opening doors for next-gen wireless services. Companies interested in these licenses should share their thoughts on the auction rules by August 24, 2026, with replies due by September 8. This auction could shake up wireless tech and investment, so get ready to bid and innovate! ## Abstract In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (the Commission or FCC) announces an auction of 3,248 new flexible-use licenses in the 3.98-4.14 GHz band. The Office of Economics and Analytics (OEA) and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) seek comment on the competitive bidding procedures and auction design to be used for this auction, which is designated as Auction 115. ## Effects PRIA read - Auction 115: 3,248 Licenses Offered: benefit, high. If you are a company that might bid, the FCC plans to offer 3,248 flexible-use licenses in the 3.98–4.14 GHz band, with bidding tentatively starting on April 27, 2027. The licenses cover eight 20-megahertz blocks per market across the contiguous U.S.; the 4.14–4.16 GHz portion is a guard band and n… - Small Business Bidding Credit Rates: benefit, high. The FCC will use two small-business tiers: entities with average annual gross revenues over the past five years up to $55 million are eligible for a 15% bidding credit, and entities with average annual gross revenues up to $20 million are eligible for a 25% bidding credit. A 15% rural service provi… - Caps on Total Bidding Credits: mixed, medium. The FCC proposes a $25 million cap on the total bidding credit amount any eligible small business may receive in Auction 115, and a $10 million cap on total rural service provider bidding credits. Additionally, a $10 million cap is proposed for bidding credits applied to licenses in markets with po… - Upfront Payment Rates and Minimum: cost, medium. To qualify to bid, applicants must submit an upfront payment. Proposed rates per generic 20‑MHz block are $0.015 per MHz-pop for PEAs 1–50, $0.003 per MHz-pop for PEAs 51–100, and $0.0015 per MHz-pop for all other PEAs, subject to a $500 minimum per block and standard FCC rounding rules. - Upfront Payment Sets Bidding Eligibility: cost, medium. The FCC proposes that each bidder's initial bidding eligibility will be set by the amount of its upfront payment, with one bidding unit per $10 of upfront payment; a bidder cannot increase its eligibility during the auction. Bidders must therefore calculate and submit an upfront payment large enoug… - Default Penalty: 15% Additional Payment: cost, high. The FCC proposes an additional default payment of 15% (within the 3%–20% statutory range) to be assessed if a winning bidder defaults or is disqualified after the auction. Default payments also include a deficiency equal to the difference between the defaulter's winning bid and the subsequent winni… - Licensees Must Pay Clearing Costs; Deadlines: cost, high. Entities that win licenses will be responsible for costs of clearing incumbent operations in the Upper C-band. Incumbent transition deadlines are December 30, 2030 for PEAs 1–41 and 43–76, and June 30, 2031 for PEAs 77–211 and others specified. - 95% Activity Requirement in Clock Phase: cost, medium. The FCC proposes an activity rule requiring bidders to be active on between 90% and 100% of their bidding eligibility each round, with an initial activity requirement set at 95%. Failure to meet the activity requirement will reduce a bidder's eligibility for future rounds. - Anonymous Bidding and Limited Public Info: benefit, low. The FCC proposes to keep certain bidder information (PEA selections, upfront payment amounts, bidding eligibility, and other bidding-related details) confidential until after bidding closes, and to publish only aggregate demand and prices after each round. Bidder-specific identities would be releas… - Identified Nationwide Providers for Communication Ban: cost, low. For purposes of the rule that prohibits certain communications after the short-form filing deadline, the FCC proposes to identify AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon as the named 'nationwide providers.' Applicants are then restricted from communicating bid strategies with these identified nationwide provid… - 15‑Year Renewable License Term: benefit, low. Licenses awarded in Auction 115 will have 15-year renewable terms. Licensees may provide any terrestrial fixed or mobile services permitted under the modified Table of Frequency Allocations for 3.98–4.14 GHz. ## Related documents - [2026-20591](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20591): Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority, 2026-10-08 - [2026-20590](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20590): Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, 2026-10-08 - [2026-20676](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20676): Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission Under Delegated Authority, 2026-10-08 - [2026-20607](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20607): Information Collections Being Submitted for Review and Approval to Office of Management and Budget, 2026-10-08 - [2026-20681](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20681): Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to Office of Management and Budget, 2026-10-08 - [2026-20486](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20486): Information Collections Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, 2026-10-06 ## Sources - [2026-15725 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/03/2026-15725/auction-of-flexible-use-licenses-in-the-upper-c-band-for-next-generation-wireless-services-scheduled) - [2026-15725 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-08-03/pdf/2026-15725.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2026-15724, High-Speed Train Noise Emission Standards](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15724) - [Next: 2026-15743, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Child Restraint Anchorage Systems; Chil…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15743) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15725 (as of 2026-08-10).