The FCC is opening up valuable millimeter wave (mmW) spectrum in the Lower 37 GHz band (37-37.6 GHz). This isn’t your typical auction band – it’s built for shared use, promising a wealth of new opportunities for backhaul, fixed wireless, IoT, and mobile capacity.
Released in April 2025 (FCC 25-24), the new rules establish a co-primary, shared framework for both federal and non-federal operators. But shared means coordinated! Here’s the essential roadmap for deploying your services:
Getting Your Foot in the 37 GHz Door: It’s a Two-Step Dance
Access is a streamlined two-step process:
- Grab Your Nationwide License: Start by securing a nationwide non-exclusive license from the FCC. This is your general entry pass to the band.
- Register Your Specific Sites: Once licensed, you’ll register individual deployment locations (like point-to-point links or base stations). This site-by-site approach is key to managing shared use effectively.
Why testing matters here: Accurate technical data about your equipment is fundamental for Phase One calculations. Our testing services ensure your gear performs as expected, providing the reliable data needed for coordination and demonstrating compliance if overlaps require technical adjustments in Phase Two.
Navigating the Lower Section: Mind the Military
The 37-37.2 GHz portion of the band is designated for military priority. You can deploy here, but be aware that military operations have the right to deploy later and may require you to modify or cease your operations if conflicts occur. Your sites in this sub-band won’t be protected from subsequent military use.
Built to Deploy: Meeting the Deadlines
To keep the spectrum vibrant and prevent “warehousing,” the FCC has buildout deadlines:
- Initial Registration Bonus: If you register during the first site registration window, you get an accelerated 120-day deadline to build and start operating.
- Standard Pace: Sites registered after the initial window have 12 months.
Fail to meet the deadline? Your registration is terminated, you lose interference protection, and you’re locked out of registering that specific site for 12 months.
Clean Signals are Happy Signals: Emissions Rules
Keeping your signal tidy is non-negotiable. Your equipment must meet FCC Out-of-Band Emission (OOBE) limits (-13 dBm/MHz) to protect adjacent bands.
Keep an eye out: The FCC is considering adopting stricter international OOBE limits in the future. This potential change could impact equipment design and require new testing validations to ensure compliance and protect sensitive weather and climate sensors below the band.
Let’s get your innovation cleared for takeoff!
