The FCC said that 157 Tribal applications for 2.5 GHz 5G spectrum have passed their initial reviews.
The commission is auctioning spectrum in the band but before that gave Tribes a first-of-its-kind priority window to get spectrum for free to help close the digital divide in Indian Country.
Related: FCC 2.5 GHz Tribal Window Closes
The 157 applications have not been approved, but they have been deemed complete and will now be put out for public comment before final action.
Successful applicants will get up to 117.5 MHz of spectrum, with the rest of the spectrum to be auctioned next year.
“This FCC has taken aggressive action to address the digital divide on Tribal lands, and the 2.5 GHz Tribal Priority Window has been perhaps the most significant yet,” said FCC chairman Ajit Pai. “Tribal entities showed a strong interest in obtaining this spectrum, with over 400 applications received."
