Ajit Pai’s Role in the Midband Spectrum Showdown

Former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai is once again at the center of U.S. telecom policy debates. Now serving as President and CEO of the wireless industry’s chief lobby group, CTIA, Pai has reignited a high-stakes struggle over midband spectrum allocation. The clash pits major mobile operators and a former regulator against cable companies, small Internet service providers, consumer advocates, and even the Department of Defense.

From FCC Leadership to CTIA Lobbyist

Pai chaired the FCC from 2017 to 2021 under President Donald Trump, championing deregulatory measures aimed at broadband expansion and loosening net neutrality rules. After leaving the agency, he joined private equity firm Searchlight Capital, then in April 2025 took the helm of CTIA–The Wireless Association, which represents AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and dozens of other wireless carriers and equipment vendors.

Soon after his appointment, Pai visited the White House to discuss spectrum priorities with officials and convened with current FCC Chair Brendan Carr, his onetime Republican colleague. His agenda is clear: restore and expand the FCC’s authority to auction midband frequencies—and allocate at least 600 MHz of licenses for future 5G and emerging technologies such as AI-enabled edge networks and private LTE/5G deployments.

CTIA’s 5G Imperative

In a May 4 Wall Street Journal op-ed, Pai warned that “the U.S. doesn’t even have enough licensed spectrum available to keep up with expected consumer demand,” asserting that Congress must renew the FCC’s auction authority and mandate midband auctions. He argues that implementing exclusive-use licenses, similar to the frameworks in South Korea and Japan, will help the U.S. maintain leadership in 5G and lay the groundwork for 6G services.

“During the first Trump administration, the U.S. led the world in wireless innovation—and by 2021 it did. That urgency and sense of purpose must return,” Pai wrote.

The “Everybody but Big Mobile” Coalition

Opposing Pai’s push is Spectrum for the Future, a broad coalition that includes:

• Major cable operators: Comcast, Charter, Cox
• Consumer advocates: Public Knowledge, New America’s Open Technology Institute
• Small wireless ISPs: WISPA (Wireless Internet Service Providers Association)
• Anchor institutions: schools, libraries, port authorities using CBRS for private networks

The group contends that repurposing Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum 3550–3700 MHz for high-power, licensed 5G would disrupt a thriving ecosystem of shared access networks.

“CBRS has become the lifeblood of rural connectivity and private industrial networks,” said WISPA’s Vice Chairperson Keefe John. “AT&T’s scheme is nothing less than a brazen theft of America’s digital future.”

Technical Deep Dive: Understanding CBRS and SAS Architecture

The CBRS framework employs a three-tiered spectrum access system (SAS):

1. Incumbent Access (Tier 1): Federal users (e.g., U.S. Navy radars) and fixed satellite services, protected by Environmental Sensing Capability (ESC) sensors that detect active federal transmissions and clear the band.
2. Priority Access Licenses (PALs, Tier 2): County‐level licenses awarded via auction for 10 MHz channels, with interference protection from Tier 3 users.
3. General Authorized Access (GAA, Tier 3): License-by-rule, opportunistic use at lower power, sharing unused spectrum segments with minimal coordination overhead.

CTIA’s proposal would boost Tier 2 power limits from 1 W/MHz to up to 40 W/MHz, aligning with international midband 5G norms. Cable and small ISP operators warn that increased power and expanded PALs would crowd out GAA devices—industrial sensors, enterprise IoT gateways, and community Wi-Fi nodes.

Economics of Auctioning Midband Spectrum

CTIA commissioned an economic analysis forecasting midband demand growth of 300% by 2029, driven by:

• AI-driven smart city deployments
• Fixed wireless access (FWA) for broadband
• Augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) applications
• Private cellular networks in manufacturing, ports, and education

Pai claims that auctioning 600 MHz could raise up to $200 billion, funding rural broadband and 5G infrastructure grants. Critics label this figure “absurd,” noting that all prior U.S. midband auctions for roughly 6 GHz of spectrum have yielded ~$233 billion combined.

New Section: Department of Defense and National Security Implications

The Pentagon’s recent midband proposal mirrors AT&T’s plan: relocate CBRS incumbents to 3.1–3.3 GHz to free up prime 3.45–3.55 GHz blocks. A leaked plan suggests:

• Escalating cost and timeline: ~3–5 years for rehosting radars and maritime sensors.
• Legal risk: incumbent PAL holders may sue under federal property‐rights protections.
• Operational concerns: moving naval shipborne radars could degrade reaction time and target discrimination, as documented in the DoD’s 2023 midband sharing report.

Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, has warned that such changes threaten “critical naval operations and homeland defense,” urging the DoD to preserve the existing CBRS sharing regime.

New Section: International Spectrum Strategies and 6G Outlook

Globally, regulators in Europe, India, and Japan are releasing 3.4–3.8 GHz bands under mixed licensed/shared models. China, meanwhile, has allocated large exclusive blocks (100 MHz+ per operator) backed by state-led rollouts. Pai argues that U.S. leadership requires a bold, license-heavy approach to midband, but Spectrum for the Future cites the success of unlicensed Wi-Fi 6/7 and CBRS-style sharing in fostering competition and innovation.

Looking toward 6G, early prototypes rely on sub-7 GHz channels for wide-area coverage and initial AI-optimized beamforming. Preserving diverse access methods—exclusive, shared, and unlicensed—could accelerate 6G testbeds across academic, industrial, and rural test facilities.

New Section: Litigation and Legislative Roadmap

The House-approved “One Big Beautiful Bill” would renew the FCC’s auction authority but leaves CBRS vulnerable to mandatory auctioning. The Senate Commerce Committee’s version retains flexibility on which bands to auction. Both sides are gearing for a protracted battle involving:

• Administrative rulemakings at the FCC and NTIA regarding SAS certification and power limits.
• Senate floor debates influenced by agriculture, defense, and library lobbying.
• Potential lawsuits under the Administrative Procedure Act and federal takings claims if incumbents are forced to relocate.

Industry analysts at New Street Research estimate that from proposal to spectrum availability could take at least three years—and even longer if significant litigation ensues.

Conclusion

Ajit Pai’s pivot to CTIA has reignited a spectrum fight that will shape the future of U.S. 5G, private wireless networks, and national security. As carriers push for large exclusive midband licenses, an unlikely coalition of cable operators, consumer advocates, small ISPs, and anchor institutions stands ready to defend the shared spectrum model. With legislative and regulatory processes underway—and potential court battles looming—the midband spectrum debate is set to dominate telecom policy throughout the next administration cycle.