2024 Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act (CSEA) Report

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) submits this report pursuant to Section 207 of the Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act (CSEA), Title II of Pub. L.108-494 (47 U.S.C. 928 note).

This report covers the period from January 2024 through December 2024 with the funds reported reflecting expenditures for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. As authorized by the CSEA, the Spectrum Relocation Fund (SRF) provides a centralized funding mechanism through which federal agencies can recover the costs associated with relocating their radio communications systems or sharing the reallocated spectrum. This report, based on data the federal agencies submitted to NTIA and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), describes the progress the federal agencies have made in adhering to spectrum transition timelines. It also details, on a system-by-system basis, the costs estimated, funds transferred, and costs paid from the SRF.

This report is partitioned and provides status on five federal spectrum bands auctioned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for non-federal or shared federal and non-federal use, as summarized below.

Part I: Eighteenth Annual Progress Report on the Relocation of Federal Radio Systems from the 1710-1755 MHz Band. In September 2006, the FCC concluded the first auction of licenses for Advanced Wireless Services (AWS)-1. Twelve federal agencies that received SRF funds have completed their transition of the spectrum; however, the Department of Energy (DOE) continues to expend funds toward achieving comparable capability. For FY 2024, outlays totaled $.087 million dollars, bringing the total cumulative outlays to $1.38 billion.

Part II: Tenth Annual Progress Report on the Transition of Spectrum in the 1695-1710 MHz Band. The AWS-3 auction concluded January 29, 2015. All five federal agencies in the 1695-1710 MHz band have completed the transition to indefinite sharing with non-federal licenses. For FY 2024, outlays for the eligible federal agencies for this band totaled $38.4 million, bringing the total cumulative outlays to $399.9 million.

Part III: Tenth Annual Progress Report on the Transition of Spectrum in the 1755-1780 MHz Band. The 1755-1780 MHz band also was part of the AWS-3 auction. Eight federal agencies have completed their transition efforts and achieved comparable capability. All agencies have completed the process of transitioning their spectrum use but nine agencies continue spending funds toward achieving comparable capability. For FY 2024, outlays totaled $428 million, bringing the total cumulative outlays to $3.42 billion.

Part IV: Fourth Annual Progress Report on the Transition of Spectrum in the 3550-3650 MHz Band. Priority Access Licenses were auctioned (3.5 GHz auction) for shared use of federal spectrum as part of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) in 2020. For FY 2024, outlays for five Department of War (DoW) agencies totaled $10.3 million, bringing the total cumulative outlays to $58.1 million.

Part V: Fourth Annual Progress Report on the Transition of Spectrum in the 3450-3550 MHz Band. The 3.45-3.55 GHz auction concluded on January 4, 2022. Five DoW agencies have completed spectrum transition but continue spending to achieve comparable capability. For FY 2024, outlays totaled $170.3 million, bringing the total cumulative outlays to $446.6 million.