According to Ofcom, this spectrum has the potential to “deliver significant benefits by enabling large increases in wireless data capacity and speeds”. The regulator said it would provide sectors of industry including transport and events with “certainty of access to this spectrum to enable timely investment and innovation” on a shared access licensing framework.
EE, Vodafone, Ericsson, Qualcomm, and techUK have all expressed a preference for a 20 year licence term to support the “period of certainty” which Ericsson felt was “needed for operators to invest, expand and upgrade networks”.
The spectrum spanning the 26 GHz (24.25-27.5 GHz) and 40 GHz (40.5 GHz-43.5 GHz) bands and will be focussed on supporting use in locations and venues with a lot of mobile users, such as train stations, football stadiums and concerts, where demands on current networks mean mobile data speeds can be sluggish.
Ofcom is now consulting on proposals for the design of the auction for citywide licences, the licence conditions for citywide and local mmWave licences, and how it will coordinate users of this spectrum, in a consultation that will run until 22 May.
Innovative applications
The regulator will award citywide licences to use mmWave spectrum by auction and assign licences for more localised licences on a first come, first served basis. The new spectrum is also expected to support innovative wireless applications requiring large amounts of data, very high speeds, or both. Those applications may include virtual reality (VR), factory automation, and intelligent transport systems such as driverless cars.
Ofcom said it would look to make both bands available on the same timeframe in 2024 to allow an efficient allocation of spectrum that could credibly involve mobile network operators (MNOs) holding relatively large blocks of spectrum in one of either the 26 GHz or 40 GHz bands, rather than spectrum split across both bands
The US is one of the most advanced markets, where mmWave spectrum (including the 28 GHz and 39 GHz bands) has been deployed on a commercial scale by mobile operators such as Verizon and AT&T. In Europe, 26 GHz spectrum has been made available for new uses in a number of countries including Germany, Italy, Finland and Spain, with more planned for the next few years, though commercial deployments have been limited to date.
"5G mmWave will contribute to growth, innovation, and social inclusion in the country."
Current uses of the 26 GHz band include fixed point-to-point links, one satellite earth station, level crossing radar used by Network Rail, licence-exempt short-range devices (SRDs) and an allocation for programme making and special events equipment. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) also currently has access to the top 1 GHz of the band (26.5-27.5 GHz). There are three existing licensees in the 40Ghz band, H3G, MBNL, and MLL, which hold block assigned national licences used for fixed links.
Commenting on the release of the spectrum, Wassim Chourbaji, SVP of government affairs at Qualcomm, said the 26 GHz and 40 GHz bands are “key in tackling capacity needs in the short to medium term”.
“Qualcomm is very pleased with Ofcom’s decision to make over 6 GHz of mmWave spectrum available across the 26 GHz (24.25-27.5 GHz) and 40 GHz (40.5 GHz-43.5 GHz) bands in the UK," he added.
"At a time when digital technologies are essential tools to meet the economic, energy, and environmental needs, 5G mmWave will contribute to growth, innovation, and social inclusion in the country."
