The FCC has given U.S. Cellular special temporary authority (STA) to use additional spectrum to help meet the increased demand driven by the coronavirus, including in some states facing the most cases of the virus.
The company will have access to spectrum currently licensed to Advantage Spectrum in the AWS-3 band.
That will help U.S. Cellular provide added capacity in California, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin. Washington has the second most coronavirus cases after New York, but by far the most deaths, and California has the second most cases.
“During this crisis, the FCC is committed to pulling out all the stops so that broadband service providers are able to meet the changing needs of the American public,” said FCC chairman Ajit Pai, who thanked Advantage for offering up the spectrum and U.S. Cellular for proposing the STA.
The FCC has already granted T-Mobile's request to use spectrum offered up on a temporary basis by Comcast, Dish and others.
