Upper C-Band Auction Offers Another Lift for GEO Industry
Satellite operators will receive incentive payments as they clear 160 MHz for next-generation wireless services, with transition costs estimated at $4 billion to $5 billion.
- On Monday, July 27, 2026, Telesat Corporation announced it is preparing to execute its Upper C-band transition plan following the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's adoption of its Upper C-band Report and Order.
- The Federal Communications Commission's order establishes a framework for repurposing 160 MHz of Upper C-band spectrum in the contiguous United States for next-generation terrestrial wireless services.
- Telesat GEO Inc. is eligible to receive $189 million in incentive payments contingent upon meeting specified transition deadlines, part of a total $6.3 billion allocation among satellite operators.
- Satellite operators must submit transition plans by November 5, 2026, with the main spectrum transition required by December 2030 to receive $4.9 billion of incentives and a final deadline in June 2031.
- Telesat CEO Dan Goldberg stated the order "establishes a clear path forward for the Upper C-band transition" and will help accelerate spectrum availability for next-generation wireless services.
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FCC To Unleash An Economic Boom, Thanks To Trump Tax Bill
By Steve Moore via Issues & Insights Editorial Board | July 23, 2026 The Federal Communications Commission is wasting no time unleashing the spectrum made available by President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Chairman Brendan Carr announced that the agency is preparing to auction 160 megahertz of Upper C-Band spectrum, one of the largest blocks of mid-band spectrum ever brought to market, and he’s doing it faster than anyone expected…
The Toronto Star
Telesat prepared to execute FCC Upper C-band transition plan
OTTAWA, Ontario, July 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Telesat GEO Inc, a subsidiary of Telesat Corporation (NASDAQ and TSX: TSAT) (“Telesat”), one of the world's largest and most innovative satellite operators, is preparing to execute its Upper C-band transition plan…
Upper C-band auction offers another lift for GEO industry
Satellite operators have welcomed the prospect of reaping more than $6 billion for quickly clearing upper C-band spectrum the FCC aims to auction next year, with billions more set to cover new geostationary spacecraft and other transition costs. The post Upper C-band auction offers another lift for GEO industry appeared first on SpaceNews.
Because the U.S. regulatory authority wants to redistribute FCC frequencies, Eutelsat and SES clear theirs and receive high compensation payments.
FCC Adopts Upper C-Band Auction Framework; Seeks Comment on Bidding Procedures
The FCC has adopted a Report and Order, Order of Proposed Modification, and Order on Reconsideration establishing the rules for the upcoming Upper C-Band spectrum auction (Auction 115), which is tentatively scheduled to commence on April 27, 2027. The FCC will auction off 160 MHz of Upper C-Band spectrum (3.98-4.2 GHz) for new wireless services while incorporating multiple measures intended to ease the transition for incumbent spectrum users and…
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