The LIBRE Initiative Supports Economic Prosperity Through the Expansion of Spectrum

By Isabel Soto

In March 2023, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) authority to conduct spectrum auctions expired. Spectrum is the radio frequency that wireless signals travel over. They are typically grouped into three categories (low band, mid band, and high band) which all have different characteristics. The U.S. needs more of all three to deliver fast, effective, accessible, and reliable wireless communication.  

Since the expiration, legislators on both sides of the aisle have been highlighting what is at stake the longer authority restoration is delayed. For the Hispanic community, increased spectrum expansion and the implementation of 5G could help close the digital divide and improve outcomes across important issues such as health care, employment, and education.  

Domestically a significant portion of communities of color lack reliable high-speed broadband access. Rural communities and communities of color are going to fall behind and there will be mounting missed economic opportunities for all Americans if delays around spectrum persist.  

In the health care space innovations are improving lives every day. With both African Americans and Latinos heavily relying on mobile services for online access, the strides made in health care can be further supported and even accelerated with proper and efficient spectrum implementation. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for increased access to care providers and higher quality health monitoring. Telehealth expansion, which particularly benefits the Hispanic community is contingent upon a reliable high-speed connection.  

Similarly, education paired with spectrum expansion could address existing disparities. With Hispanic children representing nearly 30 percent of all public school children and estimated to be 78 percent of net new workers between 2020 and 2030 ensuring accessibility to this community is particularly important. Spectrum allows not only for alleviation of connectivity concerns but greater innovation and options inside the classroom for all students. IoT technology can make way for greater personalization for students that could improve outcomes regardless of a students physical location. This kind of tech accessibility and innovation through IoT however, is only possible with the availability of high-bandwidth connections. 

In order to create the environment for spectrum expansion there must be installation of the requisite infrastructure. This necessity will mean more jobs likely for small rural communities as well as communities of color. Beyond the physical labor to enable more access, greater access enables more flexible work options. Expanding remote work could increase employment options and increase both socio-economic and physical mobility around the U.S. Increasing the availability of spectrum for 5G across the country is necessary in order to optimize large scale connectivity and the demand for high-speed mobile broadband will only continue to grow across all sectors and it within the public interest that the U.S. be able to meet that demand. Spectrum expansion is also a strong partner in business development in innovation. With Hispanic business being started at a rapid rate, and 1 in every 4 new businesses being Hispanic owned. Spectrum would be able to facilitate scaling up success. Not only would there be direct positive effects on GDP from spectrum expansion but there would also be secondary and tertiary positive effects on other key industries. CTIA estimates that for each additional 100 MHz of mid-band spectrum to mobile there would be an added $264 billion of GDP, and nearly 1.5 million new jobs.  

In addition to risking potential gains for the economy and Americans, delaying spectrum expansion poses a very real national security threat. The U.S. losing ground on spectrum could not only limit innovation, job growth, and economic benefits for Americans but would undermine U.S. influence abroad. While the U.S. drags its feet and loses jobs, domestic investment, and weakens its future economic standing, other countries rapidly expand their spectrum auctions, namely China. According to research conducted by the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association(CTIA), by 2027 China will have 4 times the amount of mid-band spectrum as the U.S..  

Fortunately, there has been leadership from Congress on this issue with the introduction of the Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2025 from Congressman Rick Allen and similar efforts from Senators Ted Cruz, Marsha Blackburn, and John Thune. It is imperative that these leaders and their colleagues continue to highlight the urgency around this issue. Continuing to delay on action in the telecom space comes at the expense of jobs, talent, domestic investment, and U.S. national security. It is critical that Congress restore the FCC’s Spectrum auctions authority and keep the country on a path to prosperity.