Satellite operator SES informed the FCC that clearing 160 MHz of upper C-band spectrum will cost $3.6 billion. The FCC intends to auction this spectrum to terrestrial carriers for 5G and 6G services.
SES allocated $2.62 billion for the procurement and launch of five hybrid satellites and two in-orbit backups. These assets will maintain service for existing clients, including major video programmers.
A terrestrial network requires an additional $777 million to ensure service reliability. The FCC currently plans to auction at least 100 MHz of the upper C-band. SES argued against clearing more than 160 MHz to preserve bandwidth for its own operations.