C-Band Auction Starts to Open April 27, 2027
The FCC's 160MHz upper C-band sale is set to start under a timetable tied to a July 4, 2027 legal deadline.
Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Telecommunications
Live Poll
Do you expect your mobile phone service to improve over the next few years?
The FCC has set a timetable for Auction 115, the upper C-band spectrum auction, with the kickoff scheduled for April 27, 2027. The auction is at the announced stage, with the FCC's Public Notice laying out its schedule rather than an event that has yet taken place.
Why it matters
The auction is tied to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which requires at least 100MHz to 180MHz of upper C-band spectrum to be auctioned by July 4, 2027. The FCC has said starting in April keeps the sale on track for that deadline, and it refused a request from CTIA, T-Mobile and AT&T to push back the short-form application deadline.
The auction offers 160MHz of upper C-band spectrum in eight 20MHz-wide blocks, sold by partial economic areas across the contiguous US and Washington, DC. The offering sits within the 100MHz to 180MHz range the law requires to be auctioned by July 4, 2027.
The players
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
The U.S. agency that licenses radio spectrum and runs the upper C-band auction, which is central to its nationwide wireless network planning.
AT&T
A major U.S. wireless carrier expected to bid in Auction 115 as it expands its mobile network capacity.
T-Mobile
A major U.S. wireless carrier that joined CTIA in asking the FCC to delay the short-form application deadline and is expected to bid in Auction 115.
Verizon
A major U.S. wireless carrier expected to be among the bidders in Auction 115.
SpaceX
A satellite and launch company expected to bid for midband spectrum in the auction.
The details
Spectrum auctions sell licenses for specific radio frequency bands, and the carriers that win them use those bands to add network capacity. Here, the FCC is dividing the upper C-band into eight 20MHz blocks and selling them by partial economic areas, which are regional markets smaller than states. Winning bidders receive 15-year licenses that can be renewed, but they must meet buildout and performance benchmarks, and licenses terminate automatically if those benchmarks are missed.
Timeline
January 6, 2027: The short-form application filing window opens.
January 20, 2027: The short-form application filing window closes.
March 19, 2027: Upfront payments are due.
April 21, 2027: A mock auction is scheduled.
April 27, 2027: Auction 115 kicks off.
The Tech Race
The upper C-band auction is one of the largest near-term spectrum sales in the U.S., with carriers and SpaceX positioning for midband capacity. Its outcome will shape which companies control the 5G and satellite-linked spectrum that follows.
The auction determines which carriers gain the midband capacity that will affect mobile service quality in the coming years. Consumers will not see direct changes from the auction itself, since licenses are awarded after the bidding concludes and buildout follows afterward.
The takeaway
Watch whether the FCC's April 27, 2027 kickoff holds, since slippage would put the July 4, 2027 statutory deadline at risk. The April 21, 2027 mock auction is the next verifiable checkpoint before the live bidding begins.
What happens next
The short-form application filing window opens January 6, 2027, and closes January 20, 2027, with upfront payments due March 19, 2027, followed by a mock auction on April 21, 2027, and the auction kickoff on April 27, 2027.
Further reading
For background on the wireless networks these licenses will support, see the Telecommunications section.
Live Poll
Do you expect your mobile phone service to improve over the next few years?
