CBRS Market Metrics

The Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) is a transformative U.S. spectrum-sharing framework that opens the 3.5 GHz band (3550–3700 MHz) to commercial use while protecting incumbent military radar systems. Access is managed through a three-tier hierarchy:

• Incumbent Access (federal and legacy users)
• Priority Access Licenses (PALs) (auctioned, protected commercial licenses)
• General Authorized Access (GAA) (opportunistic, unlicensed use)

Managed dynamically by Spectrum Access Systems (SAS), CBRS has become a cornerstone of private 4G/5G networks, neutral-host deployments, and fixed wireless access (FWA) services since its commercial launch in 2020.

All metrics are derived from live, daily-updated data collected by Key Bridge since our commercial SAS service began in August 2021. They track deployment growth, utilization patterns, and spectrum behavior across the United States.

Key Highlights

• Deployment Scale: CBRS radio deployments (CBSDs) have grown more than 23× in under four years and continue to accelerate.
• Network Diversity: Each registered CBSD represents an active wireless network tailored to specific verticals or use cases.
• Spectrum Mix: GAA accounts for over 80% of active transmissions, with more than 400,000 CBSDs now registered nationwide.
• Dynamic Behavior: Local incumbent activity and PAL holdings create distinctive channel-selection patterns.

As 5G Standalone and Open RAN deployments mature, CBRS continues to play a central role in addressing mid-band spectrum demand for enterprises, mobile operators, cable companies, and WISPs.

Note on Analysis

Narrative commentary and interpretations in this report were generated with assistance from Grok (xAI). This approach leverages Grok’s strong analytical capabilities while ensuring no confidential Key Bridge data influences the editorial narrative. All interpretations are based solely on publicly available information and should be read critically alongside your own judgment.

Origins & Credits

These metrics build on foundational work by:

• Andy Clegg (formerly Google), who pioneered the “CBRS by the Numbers” series
• The quarterly CBRS by the numbers SAS Administrator report
• The 2024 NTIA Technical Report 25-575 by Douglas M. Boulware and Anthony W. Romaniello (U.S. Department of Commerce)

Our reports extend these efforts by providing live, daily-refreshed data and multi-year trend views.

References

• NTIA Technical Report 25-575 (November 2024)
• CBRS by the numbers (November 2024)

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