Stay informed on the latest Spectrum news and insights from our team of industry experts.
South Africa auction supercharges African 5G
Tuesday 19 April, 2022 | Blog
5G in Africa took a great leap forward in March 2022. This was driven by a multi-band auction of mobile spectrum concluded by South Africa’s regulator ICASA that eases spectrum capacity concerns of the mobile community. This was a significant spectrum release in low and ...
MWC 22 Ministerial Programme: Spectrum strategy for 4G, 5G and beyond
Thursday 10 March, 2022 | Blog
The GSMA was pleased to welcome over 61,000 people to Mobile World Congress this year. For those of us in policy, the Ministerial Programme was the centrepiece, and it was back in style with 161 delegations attending. While we held a small Ministerial Programme in 2021, it ...
Mid-band 5G spectrum crucial to economic growth
Wednesday 23 February, 2022 | Blog
Study finds 65% of 5G GDP impact ($610bn) to come from mid-band in 2030, driven by manufacturing, services, and public administration New data from GSMA Intelligence shows, for the first time, the specific economic impact of 5G using mid-band spectrum. The analysis forecasts ...
How spectrum leasing can help accelerate the 5G era
Thursday 27 January, 2022 | Blog
One of the most important spectrum-related questions policymakers face is how to encourage 5G innovation without compromising its potential as a technology for all users. Successes to date show spectrum leasing can help solve this issue. The GSMA’s new “Spectrum leasing in ...
Close collaboration can provide a clear flight path for 5G and avionics
Monday 17 January, 2022 | Blog
Co-existence between different technologies has long been the foundation of sound management of the radio spectrum – ensuring that citizens derive the maximum benefit from this resource. Since 1865, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has been a focal point for ...
Spectrum assignment decisions – shall we spin the wheel?
Friday 7 January, 2022 | Blog
Governments and national regulators that manage spectrum are increasingly under pressure to respond to a huge amount of interest and demand from a wide variety of use cases. Getting spectrum assignments right delivers big rewards: better mobile coverage, higher throughput, ...
Brazil multi-band auction: one of the largest in mobile history
Wednesday 22 December, 2021 | Blog
Government and mobile industry set the stage for 5G in assignment of 2.3 GHz, 3.5 GHz, and 26 GHz to mobile. O blog também está disponível em português aqui Brazil’s recent multi-band auction was one of the largest in history and it was designed to drive a period of intense ...
The future of 5G depends on well-planned auctions
Thursday 9 September, 2021 | Blog
Over the last months we have updated our position papers on pricing, sharing, and how governments and regulators can support mobile networks for verticals without negatively impacting commercial 5G services. The remaining piece of the puzzle is our position paper on spectrum ...
Spectrum pricing continues to hamper mobile connectivity
Wednesday 2 June, 2021 | Blog
The rollout of 5G is off to a flying start with 159 mobile operators launching services in more than 60 countries, as of end of Q1. However, the cost of and availability of spectrum, in the short- and long-term, is a concern as mobile operators look to build strong and ...
ASMG Countries Progress Lower Frequencies and Aim for Rural 5G
Thursday 22 April, 2021 | Blog
The Arab world is taking a lead on seeking new spectrum assignments in lower bands, both in the sub-1 GHz frequencies being discussed at WRC-23 and with progress on the ‘lower mid-band’ 1500 MHz range in the region. The move shows continued spectrum leadership from Arab ...
5G Spectrum – planning for the future of mobile connectivity
Thursday 25 March, 2021 | Blog
When a new generation mobile technology is launched, much of the focus is short-term. When will mobile operators launch; how fast are the first networks; and what about coverage. The arrival of 5G is no different, and none of these steps are possible without access to ...
Why wireless backhaul spectrum is key to 5G’s future
Wednesday 24 February, 2021 | Blog
Spectrum for 5G networks continue to be a hot topic all over the world. However, for 5G to flourish, additional and affordable spectrum is needed across access and terrestrial wireless backhaul. The latter doesn’t get as much attention. But the fact is that terrestrial ...
Crunch time in Brazil ahead of 6 GHz consultation
Wednesday 9 December, 2020 | Blog
Wireless connectivity is a crucial part of Brazil’s infrastructure and the decisions we make about the 6 GHz band must be based on a deep understanding of the way our market works. Access to 6 GHz spectrum is a high priority for Brazilian mobile operators and will play a ...
The 3.5 GHz range and the future of 5G in Latin America
Tuesday 10 November, 2020 | Blog
How can governments and regulators across Latin American help start unlock the full potential 5G? Our latest report offers an in-depth analysis of the 3.5 GHz range in LATAM; what the current situation is, how to overcome all challenges, and what should happen next. When ...
The road to effective spectrum pricing in Africa
Wednesday 4 November, 2020 | Blog
Getting spectrum award policies right comes with big rewards. By learning from past experiences, African governments and regulators can help expand mobile connectivity and the benefits it brings. At the end of 2019, the economic benefits generated from mobile technology in ...
Planning ahead is key to set the scene for 5G in the MENA region
Monday 12 October, 2020 | Blog
Widespread 5G adoption is growing, with 1.7 billion 5G connections forecasted by 2025. Part of the MENA region has already proven itself as a 5G pioneer. There is now a chance to build up that momentum and fully take advantage of all the opportunities this technology ...
A balanced approach to 6 GHz is needed
Monday 3 August, 2020 | Blog
Mid-band spectrum is a vital component of universal 5G connectivity. Discussions regarding 6 GHz spectrum need to maximise its value and balance different uses: this is a priority band for mobile network operators. Amid this period of change during the pandemic, the value of ...
New Zealand leads the way with direct approach to 5G spectrum access
Monday 8 June, 2020 | Blog
New Zealand is a globally recognised innovator on spectrum management. The country’s approach to licensing 3.5 GHz using a direct offer highlights this pioneering spirit, and shows other countries how to set the stage for world-class 5G services. Portions of the 3.5 GHz ...
More efficient spectrum usage with network rationalisation – Lessons from the Asia-Pacific region
Tuesday 26 May, 2020 | Blog
With the rapid growth in wireless data services, operators worldwide are exploring opportunities to deploy 4G and 5G technologies by re-using spectrum currently supporting 2G and 3G services. In the process, they are laying the groundwork for enhanced capacity based on a ...
The 5G challenge for regulators – examining the cost of reserving spectrum for private networks
Wednesday 20 May, 2020 | Blog
The critical nature of communications networks is being widely recognised by governments around the world in their fight against COVID-19. At the same time there is a growing understanding that 5G will play an important role in economic recovery from the crisis even after ...