Via this course of, Ofcom goals to award spectrum within the 26 GHz and 40 GHz bands
U.Ok. telecom regulator Ofcom has supplied updates on the way it will make mmWave spectrum out there within the 26 GHz and 40 GHz bands.
In September 2023, Ofcom had introduced that it’s going to open these spectrum bands to cell expertise, together with 5G companies, for the supply of sooner 5G speeds throughout 68 cities and cities throughout the U.Ok. Ofcom goals to award a number of 15-year, mounted time period citywide licenses to make use of the mmWave frequencies in 68 main cities and cities throughout the U.Ok., in addition to some localized licenses for “low density areas” inside these cities through a shared entry licensing framework.
The regulator famous that this spectrum can carry giant quantities of information and has the potential to enhance cell speeds in busy areas, resembling practice stations, soccer stadiums and live performance venues. It might additionally assist modern companies resembling digital actuality and manufacturing unit automation, Ofcom stated.
“In November, we set out many of the design points for the public sale to award citywide licenses in these spectrum bands. Having thought-about responses to an extra session we printed at the moment, we have now at present determined to not embrace a negotiation interval within the task stage of the public sale,” the telecom watchdog stated.
Within the newest replace, Ofcom has additionally confirmed that the mmWave spectrum public sale is not going to embrace, throughout the ultimate task stage, a negotiation interval which might usually give winners of spectrum in a band a chance to agree that their respective allocations of spectrum might be adjoining.
Ofcom additionally stated it is not going to embrace guidelines governing the situation of any unsold spectrum within the 40 GHz band within the task stage of the public sale, apart from to require that any unsold 40GHz heaps are handled as a single, contiguous block.
Ofcom had beforehand confirmed it is not going to maintain an public sale of mmWave spectrum till a call has been made by the nation’s competitors authorities on a proposed merger between native carriers Vodafone and Three UK.
The regulator had stated it doesn’t anticipate a call from the Competitors and Markets Authority (CMA) in regards to the proposed merger till September 2024.
In Could 2021, the U.Ok. accomplished its most up-to-date 5G spectrum public sale, elevating a complete of £1.35 billion (at the moment $1.68 billion).
On this course of, cell operator EE secured 2×10 megahertz of paired frequency spectrum within the 700 MHz band at a price of £280 million; 20 megahertz of supplementary downlink spectrum within the 700 MHz band at a price of £4 million; and 40 megahertz within the 3.6-3.8 GHz band at a price of £168 million.
Three UK paid £280 million for two×10 megahertz of paired frequency spectrum within the 700 MHz band, whereas O2 secured 2×10 megahertz of paired frequency spectrum within the 700 MHz band at a price of £280 million; and 40 megahertz within the 3.6-3.8 GHz band at a price of £168 million.
In the meantime, Vodafone paid £176.4 million for 40 megahertz within the 3.6-3.8 GHz band.
In 2019, U.Ok. telcos obtained spectrum for the supply of 5G companies. These frequencies enabled the operators to launch 5G companies in 2019.
