Every few years, and when competition gets tough, the three Big Cellular companies predictably decide to dust off the same old messaging playbook, falsely claiming that they need more spectrum for licensed use immediately in order to implement a new technology or to upgrade networks to their self-proclaimed must-have “next generation” of wireless. If they don’t get it, they claim over and over again that America will lose in a race against China.
Within the past decade alone, they’ve recycled the same script multiple times, just about different technologies. But don’t take our word for it:
On 6G: “Countries representing over 80% of the population are following China’s lead and harmonizing 6 GHz spectrum for licensed wireless use. To advance America’s 6G leadership, the U.S. must act on the international harmonization opportunities in the 4 GHz and 7 GHz band.” CTIA, May 2026
On 5G: “In order to meet growing consumer demand for 5G, close America’s widening 5G spectrum deficit and counter China’s global ambitions, America’s wireless networks need 1500 MHz of additional full power, licensed spectrum within the next ten years. Failure to make this spectrum available risks America’s economic competitiveness and national security.” CTIA, November 2023
On IoT: “Comprehensive national policies that support access to licensed spectrum, particularly low- and mid-band, are critical for the next generation wireless that will enable the continued growth of IoT innovation.” CTIA, September 2023
On AR/VR: “We are already seeing innovations from driverless cars to AR/VR education – all thanks to exclusive-use, licensed spectrum. We need policymakers to focus on creating a pipeline of additional licensed spectrum to build on this foundation and secure America’s innovation leadership, and not export a still unproven experiment to additional bands.” CTIA, November 2022
On “Industries of the Future”: “Without this authority and a pipeline of spectrum to meet accelerating demand for wireless broadband, the U.S. risks falling behind China and other nations to lead globally in new 5G innovations and the industries of the future.” CTIA, March 2023
Now they’re back at it with artificial intelligence. The technology may be new, but the talking points from Big Cellular are the same: give us more spectrum, or we’ll lose the AI race to China.
AI needs more high-powered, exclusively licensed spectrum? Hardly. Without question, the greatest AI demand on wireless networks will be on the more moderately powered networks in our homes, businesses, factories, schools, etc. Wi-Fi networks will lead the way, as they do today by carrying 90% of mobile traffic. The bulk of AI delivery to individual end users will be carried by the widely deployed Wi-Fi networks that we’ve come to rely on for the vast majority of our daily lives.
Even if some high-powered exclusive spectrum is needed, Big Cellular has plenty if you listen to… Big Cellular. While their public-facing talking points point to dire circumstances, Big Cellular paints a very different picture when talking to Wall Street. In earnings calls, these companies have repeatedly bragged about how much spectrum they have.
Take it from Verizon CEO in April 2024, just two months before demanding additional spectrum for 5G:
“So we have quite a lot left of spectrum. And remember, that was the decision I, together with the Board, took. We bought spectrum for decades, not for the next 2 quarters or something like that. So we feel really good about it.”
Or, hear from T-Mobile’s executives in July 2023, despite noting throughout the year the critical nature of identifying more spectrum:
“The mid-band megahertz will grow to 200 megahertz dedicated to 5G by the end of the year by migrating more LTE spectrum over to 5G. And then we haven’t even started on what we can use for ’24 and beyond… So there is just so much more for us to run at.” – Ulf Ewaldsson, President of Technology.
“We’ve got tons of capacity that we have not yet rolled out.” – G. Michael Sievert, President & CEO
Big Cellular’s public facing messaging has remained strikingly similar throughout the years, down to the same fill-in-the-blank script: “America needs additional licensed spectrum immediately, or we’ll lose global leadership in __________.” Today it’s AI. Yesterday it was IoT. Then AR/VR, 5G, and 6G. Tomorrow, all signs point to it being the next breakthrough technology.
At some point, we have to see these warnings for what they really are: The latest version of Big Cellular’s overplayed messaging playbook.
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