What does the Upper C-band clearinghouse mean for satellite operators and 5G rollout?

The clearinghouse sits between incumbents and new licensees

The Upper C-band proceeding covers 160 megahertz of mid-band spectrum between 3.98 and 4.2 GHz. The Commission's July 2026 Report and Order (FCC 26-46) requires incumbent Fixed Satellite Service operators to vacate 4.0–4.16 GHz so the frequencies can be reused for flexible wireless service across the contiguous United States. Moving earth stations and filtering receivers costs money. The Order therefore created a third-party Upper C-band Clearinghouse to receive, review, and decide every actual-cost and lump-sum reimbursement request. The same entity will administer rebates for adjacent-band radio altimeter retrofits. No other party performs those functions. The clock is ticking.

Selection criteria are now public and the clock is running

A stakeholder selection committee finalized its detailed criteria on October 7, 2026. The Bureau's public notice (DA 26-1099) released two days later attaches the full Request for Proposals. Any organization that wants the role must send questions to RPCSelectionCommittee@gmail.com no later than October 23, 2026. Complete proposals are due by November 9, 2026, following the filing instructions in the committee's notification. The committee must inform the Commission of its choice by December 15, 2026. After that, the Bureau will issue a public notice seeking comment on whether the selectee meets the published criteria. A final order will then confirm or deny the appointment. Once the order is released, the selection committee dissolves automatically.

The rules governing the process

The proceeding is classified as "permit-but-disclose" under the FCC's ex parte rules. Anyone making an oral presentation must file a memorandum within two business days listing every participant and summarizing all data and arguments. Written materials shown to staff count as written ex parte presentations and must be filed in native format through the electronic comment system. The Bureau's contact for further information is Andrew McArdell at Andrew.McArdell@fcc.gov. The full Public Notice and the Request for Proposals attachment are available on the Commission's ECFS web page for GN Docket No. 25-59.

What the document does not say

The notice does not state how many entities have expressed interest. It does not disclose the total budget the clearinghouse will manage. It does not specify whether the radio altimeter rebate amounts have been finalized. Those details remain in the attached Request for Proposals or in separate Commission proceedings.