Light Reading Podcasts What's the state of play for CBRS?
Dec 11, 2025
David Wright, Policy Director at Spectrum for the Future, and Jason Wallin, Senior Principal Architect at John Deere, dive into the current state of CBRS and its importance for private networks. They discuss whether CBRS is under threat from spectrum repurposing amid FCC and NTIA efforts. The implications of high-power versus low-power CBRS use are explored, highlighting the risks and benefits of coexistence. With uncertainty stalling investments, they outline the potential for future clarifications from the FCC.
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CBRS Is Not The Primary Target Today
- The OB3A mandate forces FCC and NTIA to find large contiguous bands, pushing focus to upper C and other bands before CBRS.
- David Wright argues CBRS currently sits off the near-term radar and is a lower-priority target for repurposing.
Spectrum For The Future Represents CBRS Users
- Spectrum for the Future represents a broad set of CBRS stakeholders including rural WISPs and private network users.
- David Wright explains the group's role advocating for CBRS and its diverse user community.
John Deere's Blended CBRS Deployment
- John Deere uses a blended CBRS approach with PAL licenses in core Midwestern sites and GAA elsewhere.
- Jason Wallin describes augmenting PALs with GAA to support factory networks and private 5G deployments.