CBRS Proponents Reiterate Opposition to Higher Power

Why It Matters

Higher power could disrupt private 5G deployments and undermine U.S. manufacturing reshoring, while carriers risk losing a shared‑spectrum model that balances cost and coverage.

Key Takeaways

• Proponents warn higher power will cause adjacent‑channel interference
• 400,000+ CBRS devices could lose reliability if power rises
• Verizon spent $2 billion on priority licenses, now seeks higher‑power devices
• Study projects 7,500 private networks by 2032, 80% using CBRS
• FCC rulemaking remains stalled; industry pushes for more data before decision

Pulse Analysis

The Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) occupies the 3.5 GHz band and operates under a three‑tier licensing framework: protected Navy radars, priority licensees, and general‑access users. Current FCC rules cap transmit power to protect the higher tiers, a restriction that has drawn criticism from carriers seeking broader coverage. A 2025 budget bill mandated the auction of 800 MHz of this spectrum, but the FCC has yet to decide whether to raise power limits, leaving the industry in a regulatory limbo.

Stakeholders opposing a power hike cite technical and economic risks. Spectrum access systems (SAS) were designed for low‑power coordination and lack mechanisms to mitigate adjacent‑channel interference, a problem that could cripple the more than 400,000 CBRS devices already deployed. A study by the American‑Made 5G Coalition projects 7,500 private networks by 2032, with 80 % relying on CBRS; higher power would erode the reliability that underpins these private‑5G deployments and slow reshoring initiatives championed by the current administration.

Conversely, carriers such as Verizon, which invested nearly $2 billion in priority licenses in 2020, argue that higher power is essential for competitive mobile coverage and to justify further investment. AT&T has floated the idea of auctioning the band to carriers, while the FCC’s rulemaking remains stalled pending more data. The outcome will shape the balance between shared‑spectrum innovation and exclusive‑license efficiency, influencing everything from rural broadband rollout to the U.S. manufacturing supply chain.