FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has urged the agency to swiftly implement rules enabling a spectrum auction to fully fund the removal of insecure Huawei and ZTE equipment from U.S. networks. The auction, authorized by the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), will support the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program, also known as “Rip and Replace.”
The AWS-3 spectrum auction will be the FCC’s first since its auction authority expired in March 2023. Rosenworcel has circulated a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to colleagues, initiating the process of updating competitive bidding rules and auctioning licenses for unassigned advanced wireless services (AWS-3) spectrum bands. This includes frequencies in the 1695-1710 MHz, 1755-1780 MHz, and 2155-2180 MHz bands.
FCC’s Push to Combat Foreign Cybersecurity Threats
In 2021, Congress allocated USD 1.9 billion for the Rip and Replace Program, reimbursing providers for removing and replacing Huawei and ZTE equipment. However, a funding shortfall required additional measures. The NDAA, signed into law in December 2024, authorizes the FCC to borrow USD 3.08 billion from the Treasury, with repayment through auction proceeds.
“Today’s proposal is a critical step toward addressing the shortfall in the Rip and Replace program,” Rosenworcel said, highlighting the risks posed by foreign hackers and intelligence threats.
Rosenworcel continues to advocate for the restoration of the FCC’s broader auction authority, emphasizing its historic role in fostering innovation, economic growth, and national security.
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