{"id":14571,"date":"2026-03-27T12:45:45","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T12:45:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/connectivity-for-good\/spectrum\/?p=14571"},"modified":"2026-03-27T12:47:40","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T12:47:40","slug":"mwc-ministerial-programme-spectrum-beyond-5g","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gsma.com\/connectivity-for-good\/spectrum\/mwc-ministerial-programme-spectrum-beyond-5g\/","title":{"rendered":"MWC Ministerial Programme: Spectrum Beyond 5G"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The world has changed in the eight years since 5G was first launched simultaneously in three Gulf countries. Mobile solutions have been increasingly sought as a way of bringing people together, helping business efficiency, and supporting economic growth during a challenging global financial climate.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Capacity,\u00a0productivity,\u00a0safety\u00a0and sovereignty were all\u00a0discussed\u00a0widely\u00a0at MWC Barcelona 2026. As high-tech robots crossed the shop floor, first responder\u00a0solutions were\u00a0showcased\u00a0by mobile operators\u00a0and,\u00a0drones\u00a0hung,\u00a0suspended from ceilings,\u00a0it was made clear that governments\u00a0could\u00a0rely on\u00a0mobile to support their economies and keep their citizens and industry\u00a0secure.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spectrum plans\u00a0that\u00a0facilitate\u00a0these issues and form\u00a0the basis of the networks of the 2030s\u00a0were considered\u00a0at the GSMA Ministerial Programme (MP), the government enclosure within MWC.\u00a0Whichever technology mobile operators use to support their country\u2019s connectivity requirements, capacity needs are growing in both urban and rural areas. Spectrum\u00a0roadmaps\u00a0for the robust, secure networks of the 2030s were\u00a0highlighted\u00a0by\u00a0countries all over the world.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spectrum for inclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Five<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Person<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In low and middle-income countries,\u00a0adults in rural areas are 25% less likely<\/a>\u00a0to use mobile internet than their urban counterparts. Starker still is the fact that\u00a0even when they have access, rural adults are 30% less likely to engage in activities that help raise productivity by making life easier \u2013 online banking, digital education services,\u00a0calls\u00a0and messaging.\u00a0This figure\u00a0remains\u00a0at 20% in high-income countries.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Government and industry coordination can help improve the quality and coverage of rural networks. As download speeds are determined by the amount of available spectrum, increasing low-band spectrum capacity in rural areas that rely on its strong propagation will\u00a0improve\u00a0network\u00a0quality.\u00a0Having more low-band spectrum also improves the investment case for operators \u2013 on average, a 50 MHz increase in low-band spectrum is linked to an 11 percentage-point increase in coverage because the capacity makes it easier to provide service\u00a0quality.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At MP, governments discussed assigning more spectrum in low bands, such as 600 MHz, through investment-focused assignment mechanisms. If spectrum is too expensive \u2013 either through high reserve prices, restricted supply\u00a0auctions\u00a0or high annual fees \u2013 it will stop operators from making the investments that rural areas\u00a0badly need.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connecting future applications<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"Man<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Man<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A group of equipment vendors used the MP opportunity to reaffirm their readiness to support the 6 GHz ecosystem<\/a>. The global vendor group \u2013 with companies stretching from Qualcomm in San Diego, USA, to Huawei in Shenzhen, China \u2013 emphasised the ability of 6 GHz to\u00a0cater for\u00a0the 200-400 MHz channels that will be\u00a0required\u00a0in the future.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6 GHz spectrum<\/a>\u00a0may power 6G launches in some countries, but\u00a0will not be sufficient\u00a0on its own\u00a0to meet growing demand in the world\u2019s dense urban areas in the 2030s. Governments also discussed their\u00a0future needs<\/a>\u00a0beyond this\u00a0and the 7 GHz range, which\u00a0will be harmonised at WRC-27, has\u00a0strong support from a large group of market-leading countries. The extent of the 7 GHz range, which begins at 7.125 GHz, was the subject of discussion\u00a0during MP, with differing opinions on whether the upper limit will be 7.25 GHz, around 7.4-7.55 GHz,\u00a0or\u00a07.75\u00a0GHz\u00a0and beyond. Other bands likely to come into play to relieve capacity constraints are the 4.5 GHz\u00a0and 3.8-4.2 GHz bands.\u00a0Maximising spectrum in the upper 3.5 GHz range\u00a0has been a recent focus in the US, and governments in Europe are increasingly viewing this as a high-power band for wide-area networks.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spectrum plans take years to come to fruition, and harmonisation is essential to extending access to digital services as widely as possible. At MWC Barcelona, governments underlined that developing connectivity in their markets remains a powerful driver of social and economic development – and a bright source of optimism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Spectrum plans\u00a0that form\u00a0the basis of the networks of the 2030s\u00a0were considered\u00a0at the GSMA Ministerial Programme, the government enclosure within MWC.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":56,"featured_media":14578,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"algolia_discover_type":[4026],"class_list":["post-14571","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","algolia_discover_type-article"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMWC Ministerial Programme: Spectrum Beyond 5G - Spectrum<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Spectrum plans\u00a0that form\u00a0the basis of the networks of the 2030s\u00a0were considered\u00a0at the GSMA Ministerial Programme, the government enclosure within MWC.\" \/>\n<meta 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