The global mobile body, GSMA, has warned that up to two-fifths of the expected benefits of mid-band 5G could be wasted if regulators do not license 6GHz frequencies to operators.
5G will use a wider variety of frequencies than previous generations of mobile technology, with regulators launching a mix of low-, mid-, and high-band airwaves, providing a mix of range and capacity.
Mid-band spectrum is essential for many deployments because it provides a compromise between low-band frequency range and high-band capacity and interior penetration characteristics.
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The GSMA says that 6GHz is the largest remaining contiguous block of mid-band spectrum that can be licensed to operators in most markets, with huge potential for 5G.
However, spectrum is a finite resource and various industries compete for it. For example, Wi-Fi 6 enabled networks run on unlicensed 6 GHz spectrum.
Contiguous spectrum, where channels are adjacent to each other, could reduce the need for network densification, speeding deployment and reducing costs.
Their report states that 6 GHz networks will generate more than €610 billion in economic value by 2030, producing two-thirds of the socio-economic value that 5G promises to generate.
Ahead of the World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23), an event where frequencies are allocated globally, the GSMA has asked regulators to allocate between 700 MHz and 1200 MHz of 6 GHz spectrum to radio operators. mobile telephony.
“6 GHz is crucial for the expansion of 5G in many countries. Without this, operators will often struggle to achieve the expected average 2 GHz of mid spectrum needed for 5G, which will affect quality of service,” Luciana Camargos, GSMA Spectrum Director. "Countries may therefore lose all the social and economic benefits of investing in modern 5G networks."
