ICYMI: CBRS Supports American Innovation in California, Ohio, and Washington State

For Immediate Release
June 4, 2026

In case you missed it – Amid calls to raise power levels in the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) band, several recently published op-eds have highlighted the importance of CBRS to the longevity and vitality of communities across the country.

In California, Cal Poly’s private LTE network utilizes CBRS to connect students, faculty, and research infrastructure, supporting deployments that traditional Wi-Fi and carrier networks could not support. Cal Poly’s Christopher Lupo writes about what’s at stake should the FCC raise power levels, saying that “When our students graduate from Cal Poly, they should understand the wireless infrastructure powering industries like manufacturing, agriculture, entertainment, and defense. When we conduct research, we should have the tools to do it right. CBRS makes that possible today.”

In Ohio, Amplex Internet uses CBRS to support rural connectivity, providing access to the internet for remote, hard-to-reach areas near the Canadian border. CEO Mark Radabaugh says Amplex customers already experience disruptions from high-power Canadian users. “If the carriers succeed in rewriting these rules, years of rural broadband progress will be reversed — and the communities we serve would pay the price. A devastating result for business, consumers and competition,” he explained.

In Washington State, a CBRS shared spectrum network supports agritourism at Swans Trail Farms, allowing secure coordination among staff and decreasing payment processing times for customers – all at a price that doesn’t bankrupt the family-owned business. “Reliable connectivity is no longer optional for modern agriculture. It is foundational to competitiveness and survival,” wrote operators Jim Brisimitzis and Stephen Leotis.

Over 1,000 operators currently use the band to support their connectivity needs in industries ranging from manufacturing to education to agriculture. A Valo Analytica analysis reveals that even limited high-power deployments would cause widespread interference, undermining the significant investment and shared spectrum model that has made these innovations possible.

Read more from Amplex Internet, Cal Poly, and Swans Trail Farms.

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