Govt is preparing to auction radio spectrum—this time in the coveted 700 MHz and 2.6 GHz bands, with millimeter-wave frequencies hovering on the horizon. For policymakers, spectrum auctions are familiar terrain: publish a regulation, set a reserve price, invite bidders, declare winners. The process is visible, measurable, and fiscally attractive. But history suggests a hard truth: auctioning spectrum is the easy part. Making 5G actually usable nationwide is far harder—and far more political. To subscribe please click here
