Future Spectrum

Future Spectrum – Setting the Stage for Better Connectivity

Our mission is to ensure there is enough mobile spectrum for next-generation networks to reach their full potential.

With more mobile broadband connections and users consuming more content than ever before, data traffic continues to rise. This challenge for mobile operators is intensified by the emerging ‘Internet of Things’, bringing connected machines, from electricity meters to cars, into our everyday lives. Increasing the amount of mobile spectrum assigned is a major concern for the mobile industry and regulators will need to address it.

Operators are already investing in new technologies which are more spectrally efficient, refarming existing spectrum allocations and adding more base stations of all sizes. But they will still need future bands to increase capacity. The mobile industry is focused on securing the building blocks for the future of mobile, and spectrum is key.

Mobile networks with better coverage and capacity aren’t possible without governments laying the groundwork, including working together ahead of and at World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs). Governments and the mobile industry need to work together towards WRC-23 to ensure additional spectrum is internationally harmonised. This will minimize cross-border interference and create the economies of scale needed to reduce device cost.