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Spectrum for Digitalisation
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Spectrum for Digitalisation

Capacity for digitalisation through private and local networks

Spectrum for Digitalisation

The digitalisation of industry is a priority for every country as governments seek to deliver economic growth and enterprises seek to enhance productivity and streamline their businesses through effective access to connectivity.

Approaches to providing connectivity for enterprise and local networks have varied and the use of public spectrum resources must benefit businesses and consumers simultaneously. Interventionist approaches such as spectrum set-asides should be avoided in favour of licensing mechanisms that lets public mobile flourish alongside government and enterprise digitalisation.

POLICY PAPER

Spectrum for Digitalisation
Public Policy Paper

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REPORT

Impact of Spectrum Set-Asides on Private and Public Networks

Cover page titled "The Impact of Spectrum Set-Asides on Private and Public Mobile Networks, May 2024" by GSMA. The lower part features a colorful, neon-outline rendering of a 3D cityscape with abstract glowing buildings over a dark background.
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REPORT

Impact of Spectrum Set-Asides on 5G

A report cover with a red header displaying "GSMA" and the title "The Impact of Spectrum Set-Asides on 5G," dated June 2023. Below is an aerial view of an industrial complex surrounded by trees, water, and roads, under a clear sky.
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Main findings on set-asides

1

Set-asides carry significant risks to the economy

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2

Spectrum sharing frameworks are complex and carry risks on certainty of tenure and access

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3

Well-designed licence conditions for mobile are least intrusive and stimulate cooperation

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4

Interest is mainly driven by properties of the spectrum band rather than the licensing mechanism

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Approaches to licensing spectrum for private networks

Different approaches have been taken by regulators to meet the interest for private mobile networks that typically fall into the categories below.

Approaches for providing spectrum to private networks for industry users

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Fully licensed spectrum

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Spectrum set-aside

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Spectrum sharing

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Licensed spectrum with leasing obligations

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Unlicensed spectrum

The Impact of Spectrum Set-Asides on Private and Public Mobile Networks

Presentation from LinkedIn Live Session
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The Impact of Spectrum Set-Asides on Private and Public Mobile Networks

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Review of the use of spectrum in the 3.8—4.2 GHz band in the UK (Analysis Mason)

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LinkedIn Live Session Recording Highlights

Providing digital infrastructure to support industrial development is a high priority for all countries.

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GSMA Intelligence

GSMA Intelligence slides for LinkedIn Live

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The GSMA’s resources on spectrum solutions for industry focus on ensuring all needs are meet equally.

Private networks are growing equally in countries without set-asides, where more spectrum can be used for consumer or other connectivity requirements, as they are in countries which have limited spectrum through a set-aside or sharing regime.

Limiting spectrum supply lowers quality of service and raises network costs. Digitalisation of industry, through the use of less interventionist regulatory mechanisms, can be carried out to benefit all users and deliver growth for society.

A green semicircular gauge on the left labeled “2021” points to 13.0 Mbps. A red semicircular gauge on the right labeled “2022” points to 8.5 Mbps. A gray arrow in the center indicates a decrease of -4.5 Mbps in download speeds from 2021 to 2022.

The impact of a 100 MHz difference in MT spectrum on public network speeds

Case Studies: Countries and MNOs