This article is part of the Spectrum Policy Trends 2024 report. Download the full report for a handy compilation of the top six spectrum policy trends for 2024.
The ITU World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23) has opened the doors to a new era of connectivity for all services and laid the foundation for mobile progress into 5G-Advanced and 6G. Governments worldwide convened under the auspice of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to make balanced decisions for all services that will shape the global spectrum policy landscape both in 2024 and onwards to the end of the decade.
Why does it matter?
The decisions made at the Conference will serve as a catalyst for delivering mobile connectivity to more people, closing the usage gap, and ensuring sustainability, affordability, and global inclusivity. For the mobile industry, WRC decisions are critical to provide certainty of future spectrum availability on which to plan investment and build better connectivity services. Mobile operators require predictable access to low, mid- and high-band spectrum. Providing this certainty helps encourage the long-term investments needed to meet growing demand and increase innovation. The results from WRC-23 have provided a clear roadmap for the mobile sector, allowing for planning in the low bands (below 1 GHz) and mid-bands (3.5 GHz and 6 GHz ranges), while ensuring studies for future IMT identification to develop during the new cycle.
What are the policy considerations?
Harmonising spectrum for a connected future
WRC-23 played a pivotal role in the international harmonisation of spectrum, a critical aspect of ensuring the continued evolution and expansion of mobile services. Spectrum harmonisation is crucial to achieving economies of scale and facilitating the growth of mobile connectivity. Final harmonisation of the 3.5 GHz band (3.3-3.8 GHz), recognised as the pioneer 5G band, was achieved across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and the Americas. This harmonisation ensures a seamless deployment of 5G services in these regions.
Expanding mid-band spectrum in the 6 GHz band
One of the significant outcomes of WRC-23 was the identification of additional mid-band spectrum to meet the growing demand for mobile data. The 6 GHz band (6.425-7.125 GHz) was identified for mobile use by countries in every ITU Region – EMEA, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific. This band, supported by countries representing over 60% of the world’s population, is now the harmonised home for expanding mobile capacity for 5G-Advanced and future technologies. This licensed mobile band sits above the lower 6 GHz band (5.925-6.425 GHz) which is increasingly being assigned for unlicensed technologies including Wi-Fi and WRC-23 thus gave a balanced decision which supported both services.
Fostering digital equality through low-band spectrum
WRC-23 took a step towards greater digital equality by defining the mobile use of more low-band spectrum in the 470-694 MHz band in EMEA. Low bands play a crucial role in expanding capacity for internet connectivity in rural communities, as their signals cover wider areas. The allocation of low-band spectrum addresses the urban-rural connectivity divide, breaking down barriers toward digital inequality in the EMEA region.
Figure 1: WRC-23 results for IMT
What to expect in the year ahead
WRC-23 marks a significant milestone in the evolution of mobile communications. In 2024, regulators and policymakers can implement WRC-23 decisions and results in their national tables of allocations in a timely manner to support spectrum harmonisation and avoid interference issues. National tables of allocation underpin spectrum roadmaps, which are essential to encourage long-term investment from mobile operators in their networks.
5G adoption will continue to grow at a sound pace to reach 2.1 billion connections by the end of 2024 (up from 1.6 billion in 2023), according to GSMA Intelligence. The harmonisation of mid-band spectrum such as 3.5 GHz will help expand the availability of affordable 5G services. Low bands will play a key role in supporting the reduction of the digital divide but more government action is required to increase the harmonisation of low bands such as 600 MHz. Spectrum identification in 6 GHz will be key to developing its ecosystem in 2024. While mid-band spectrum resources will continue to see new assignments, we expect this to be supplemented by growing availability of spectrum resources in low bands (e.g. 600 and 700 MHz) and high bands (e.g. mmWave).
Finally, WRC-23 has set the agenda for the new cycle, WRC-27, thereby setting out the likely roadmap for spectrum bands to support 5G-Advanced and 6G. WRC-23 is, therefore, the platform to shape the present and guarantee the future of mobile telecommunications.