(Reuters) - The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday launched the agency’s first high-band 5G spectrum auction as it works to clear space for next-generation faster networks.

FILE PHOTO - A 5G sign is seen during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain February 28, 2018. REUTERS/Yves Herman

Bidding is beginning on Wednesday on spectrum in the 28 GHz band and will be followed by bidding for spectrum in the 24 GHz band. The FCC is making 1.55 gigahertz of spectrum available and the auctions will be followed by a 2019 auction of three more millimeter-wave spectrum bands — 37 GHz, 39 GHz, and 47 GHz.

“These airwaves will be critical in deploying 5G services

and applications,” FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said on Wednesday, who disclosed the planned auction in February.

5G networks are expected to be at least 100 times faster than current 4G networks and cut latency, or delays, to less than one-thousandth of a second from one-hundredth of a second in 4G and allowing for innovations in a number of different fields. While millimeter-wave spectrum offers faster speeds, it cannot cover big geographic areas and will require significant new small cell infrastructure deployments.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said the spectrum being auctioned will allow for “faster broadband to autonomous cars, from smart ag (agriculture) to telehealth.”

The spectrum being auctioned over the next 15 months “is more spectrum than is currently used for terrestrial mobile broadband by all wireless service providers combined,” the FCC said.Democratic FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel said the United States was following “the lead of South Korea, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Ireland, and Australia. But we put ourselves back in the running for next-generation wireless leadership” and called on the FCC to clearly state the timing for future spectrum auctions.

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum directing the Commerce Department to develop a long-term comprehensive national spectrum strategy to prepare for the introduction of 5G.

Trump is also creating a White House Spectrum Strategy Task Force and wants federal agencies to report on government spectrum needs and review how spectrum can be shared with private sector users.

AT&T Inc T.N, Verizon Communications Inc VZ.N, Sprint Corp S.N and T-Mobile US Inc TMUS.O are working to acquire spectrum and are developing and testing 5G networks. The first 5G-compatible commercial cell phones are expected to go on sale next year.