Spectrum for the Future Welcomes NTIA Data on CBRS Success

Washington, D.C. – Spectrum for the Future, a diverse coalition of innovators, anchor institutions, and technology companies, today welcomed a new analysis and report by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS). The report, submitted in response to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) ongoing review of CBRS operating parameters, notes that “CBRS continues to successfully facilitate growth in wireless broadband devices and provide cost-effective wireless broadband access, especially in rural communities.”

“NTIA’s latest findings further illustrate why the FCC must preserve the local, low-power approach that has allowed CBRS to grow at an unprecedented rate,” said Tamara Smith, spokesperson for Spectrum for the Future. “While some have suggested raising power levels or out of band emissions limits, that path would only jeopardize our ability to deliver greater innovation, wider-ranging use cases, and more consumer choice. The data shows that dynamic spectrum sharing is working, and we should maintain the unique properties that make CBRS the model for U.S. wireless leadership.”

Among the noteworthy highlights from NTIA:

• CBRS deployments increased by 270,621 from April 1, 2021 to July 1, 2024.
• Rural CBRS devices have more than doubled, with an increase of 166,650 (160.6%).
• 82.7% of all counties in the United States used at least one channel of CBRS and 41% of all counties used all 15 channels as of July 1, 2024.

Read the full report here.