Data growth means that many technologies will need space to develop. Mobile and Wi-Fi have the same goals – balancing 6 GHz allows us both to flourish.
The ability of connectivity to develop economies, support social goals and help government policy objectives is under the spotlight everywhere in the world. In today’s turbulent economic times, improving access to broadband can act as a lifeline to help provide jobs, deliver economic diversity and help industries modernise.
Connectivity will not be provided by a single technology. At the GSMA, after many years of discussion, we feel that we are getting to a near-global solution that provides a strong future for both mobile and Wi-Fi in 6 GHz. This will see the lower part of the band (5.925-6.425 GHz) used for Wi-Fi and the upper part (6.425-7.125 GHz) used for mobile. 60% of the world supported the balanced use of the band at the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23) and with additional countries, including India, expected to show their support that figure will rise to over 80% of the global population. Not everyone will make that choice but, as of today, it seems likely the majority will do so.
Anatel has laid out the necessary foundations for all services to grow. Brazil’s January 2025 decision to designate the upper 6 GHz for mobile, sees it join that global group in balancing the needs of both technologies. It means that both Wi-Fi and mobile have the resources they need to improve digital inclusion, to provide access to jobs and education, and to allow for innovation in industry and technology.
6 GHz is a new band for both technologies in Brazil. Three years after the original decision to designate it to Wi-Fi, only 0.12% of Wi-Fi connections were using any 6 GHz spectrum at all in 2024, leaving the 500 MHz in the lower band almost entirely available for development. Mobile will need the upper band in the later part of this decade or into the 2030s, during the 6G era.
Mobile’s role in delivering inclusive connectivity will be helped by 6 GHz. Affordability is crucial: no connectivity is free whether it comes from Wi-Fi or mobile but digital inclusion is supported by mobile as anyone with a handset can get online without the need for a computer, a router, or a fixed-line connection. Access to mobile data is getting less expensive in Brazil and elsewhere – globally, the average cost per GB of data has declined by 96% between 2014 and 2024. In Brazil, fibre penetration required for Wi-Fi is highest in the wealthiest areas, meaning that high-capacity mobile, expanded with more spectrum, can help improve access for everyone. 4G population coverage is at almost 100% in our country with 5G covering 70% already.
When we first started looking at the 6 GHz band in the late 2010s, the GSMA’s members saw the possibility of 1200 MHz of spectrum – the entire 6 GHz band from 5.925-7.125 GHz – solving their capacity requirements for the foreseeable future. However, as others also expressed their interest, it became clear that dividing the 6 GHz band was necessary as both our own fixed-line networks and our partners in the Wi-Fi sector required unlicensed spectrum resources. In Brazil, as elsewhere, the mobile operators are major fixed-line providers and thus have a vision encapsulating the development of both technologies.
Robust competition is a cornerstone of any strong market and Anatel’s 6 GHz decision allows both sectors to grow. We all need to accept that getting the whole band for only one or other of the two services would not be good for Brazil.
With the decision made it is time to work together to reach our common goals of providing better communications for everyone in the country. Let’s be sure that we make full use of the band and deliver connectivity for all Brazilians.