Proposed Rule2026-07269
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Refreshes Record on Lower C-Band Petitions for Reconsideration
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 15, 2026
Issuing agencies
Federal Communications Commission
Abstract
In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks to refresh the record on pending petitions for reconsideration of the Commission's 2020 Report and Order in the Expanding Flexible Use of the 3.7 to 4.2 GHz Band rulemaking (2020 C- band R&O) in light of certain technical proposals in the 2025 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Upper C-band (3.98-4.2 GHz) rulemaking (Upper C-band NPRM) and the responsive record thereto, seeking a harmonized approach across the entire C-band.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 72 (Wednesday, April 15, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 72 (Wednesday, April 15, 2026)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 20084-20085]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07269]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Parts 1, 2, 25, 27, and 101
[GN Docket Nos. 18-122, 25-59; DA 26-341; FR ID 340668]
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Refreshes Record on Lower C-
Band Petitions for Reconsideration
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission
(Commission) seeks to refresh the record on pending petitions for
reconsideration of the Commission's 2020 Report and Order in the
Expanding Flexible Use of the 3.7 to 4.2 GHz Band rulemaking (2020 C-
band R&O) in light of certain technical proposals in the 2025 Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking in the Upper C-band (3.98-4.2 GHz) rulemaking
(Upper C-band NPRM) and the responsive record thereto, seeking a
harmonized approach across the entire C-band.
DATES: Comments are due on or before May 5, 2026.
ADDRESSES: Pursuant to Sec. Sec. 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's
rules, 47 CFR 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments using
the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). You may
submit comments, identified by GN Docket Nos. 18-122 and 25-59, by any
of the following methods:
<bullet> Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically
using the internet by accessing the ECFS: <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs">https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs</a>.
<bullet> Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must
file an original and one copy of each filing.
<bullet> Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by
commercial courier, or by the U.S. Postal Service. All filings must be
addressed to the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
<bullet> Hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for
the Commission's Secretary are accepted between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
by the FCC's mailing contractor at 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis
Junction, MD 20701. All hand deliveries must be held together with
rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes and boxes must be disposed of
before entering the building.
<bullet> Commercial courier deliveries (any deliveries not by the
U.S. Postal Service) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis
Junction, MD 20701.
<bullet> Filings sent by U.S. Postal Service First-Class Mail,
Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express must be sent to 45 L Street
NE, Washington, DC 20554.
<bullet> People with Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request
reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language
interpreters, CART, etc.) by email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e2a4a1a1d7d2d6a2848181cc858d94"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bbfdf8f88e8b8ffbddd8d895dcd4cd">[email protected]</span></a> or phone: 202-418-
0530 or TTY: 202-418-0432. To request materials in accessible formats
for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files,
audio format), send an email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection" class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="25434646101511654346460b424a53">[email protected]</a> or call the Consumer &
Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information regarding
this Public Notice, please contact Andrew McArdell of the Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-1576 or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5c1d32382e392b72113f1d2e383930301c3a3f3f723b332a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cb8aa5afb9aebce586a88ab9afaea7a78bada8a8e5aca4bd">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's
document (Public Notice), in GN Docket Nos. 18-122 and 25-59; DA 26-
341, released on April 10, 2026. This action was taken pursuant to
delegated authority under 47 CFR 0.331. The full text of this document
is available electronically via the FCC's Electronic Document
Management System (EDOCS) website at <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/edocs">https://www.fcc.gov/edocs</a> (search
using DA number) or via the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System
(ECFS) website at <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs">https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs</a> (search using docket
number). (Documents will
[[Page 20085]]
be available electronically in ASCII, Microsoft Word, and/or Adobe
Acrobat.)
Ex Parte Presentations. The Commission will treat this proceeding
as a ``permit-but-disclose'' proceeding in accordance with the
Commission's ex parte rules. Persons making ex parte presentations must
file a copy of any written presentation or a memorandum summarizing any
oral presentation within two business days after the presentation
(unless a different deadline applicable to the Sunshine period
applies). Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that
memoranda summarizing the presentation must (1) list all persons
attending or otherwise participating in the meeting at which the ex
parte presentation was made, and (2) summarize all data presented and
arguments made during the presentation. If the presentation consisted
in whole or in part of the presentation of data or arguments already
reflected in the presenter's written comments, memoranda or other
filings in the proceeding, the presenter may provide citations to such
data or arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other
filings (specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where
such data or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the
memorandum. Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex
parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must
be filed consistent with 47 CFR 1.1206(b). In proceedings governed by
47 CFR 1.49(f) or for which the Commission has made available a method
of electronic filing, written ex parte presentations and memoranda
summarizing oral ex parte presentations, and all attachments thereto,
must be filed through the electronic comment filing system available
for that proceeding, and must be filed in their native format (e.g.,
.doc, .xml, .ppt, searchable .pdf). Participants in this proceeding
should familiarize themselves with the Commission's ex parte rules
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis. The Upper C-band NPRM
included an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) pursuant to
5 U.S.C. 603, exploring the potential impact on small entities of the
Commission's proposals. We invite parties to file comments on the IRFA
in light of this request to refresh the record.
Providing Accountability Through Transparency Act. Consistent with
the Providing Accountability Through Transparency Act, Public Law 118-
9, a summary of this document will be available on <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/proposed-rulemakings">https://www.fcc.gov/proposed-rulemakings</a>.
Paperwork Reduction Act. The Public Notice document may contain
proposed new or modified information collections. The Commission, as
part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, invites the
general public and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to comment
on any information collections contained in this document, as required
by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13.
Synopsis
1. By this Public Notice, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
(Bureau) seeks to refresh the record on pending petitions for
reconsideration of the Commission's 2020 C-band R&O, released on March
3, 2020 in this proceeding (85 FR 22804), in light of certain technical
proposals in the Upper C-band NPRM, released on November 21, 2025 (90
FR 56076), and the responsive record thereto, seeking a harmonized
approach across the entire C-band. In particular, we seek to refresh
the record on a petition for partial reconsideration that was filed by
the Aerospace Industries Association and others (AIA Petition) with
respect to technical issues in the 3.7-3.98 GHz band (Lower C-band)
context that have also been raised in the Commission's Upper C-band
NPRM. The AIA Petition asks that the Commission take ``appropriate
mitigation measures . . . including limitations on technical
parameters,'' with regard to terrestrial wireless operations in the
Lower C-band in recognition of radio altimeter operations in the 4.2-
4.4 GHz band. The Bureau also seeks to refresh the record on additional
outstanding petitions for reconsideration of the 2020 C-band R&O, to
the extent they remain applicable.
2. In the Upper C-band NPRM, the Commission sought comment on
proposed technical rules for the Upper C-band based on those that
currently apply to the Lower C-band, and asked whether to harmonize the
wireless operational environment across the entire C-band. In
particular, the Commission asked whether the proposed Upper C-band
technical rules, including power levels and OOBE limits, should be
adjusted to promote coexistence with radio altimeters in the 4.2-4.4
GHz band. With these goals in mind, the Bureau seeks to refresh the
record in response to the AIA Petition and others in the Lower C-band
proceeding on these technical issues. In specific, we seek to refresh
the record on an appropriate limit on spurious emissions into 4.2-4.4
GHz for Lower C-band operations in light of related discussions with
respect to the Upper C-band, and proposals to adopt a 4 Watt Effective
Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP) limit for mobile devices across both
bands. The Bureau also seeks to refresh the record on any other
appropriate rule changes to align the wireless operational environment
in the Lower C-band and Upper C-band. Commenters are encouraged to
provide technical details in support of their submissions. Commenters
should also address the costs and benefits of potentially changing any
technical requirements currently applicable in the Lower C-band to
better align with proposed requirements applicable to the Upper C-band.
Federal Communications Commission.
Amy Brett,
Chief of Staff, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2026-07269 Filed 4-14-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js" defer></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on April 15, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.