Stefano Nicoletti, Head of MEF’s Sender ID Registry in the UK discusses the potential impact of innovative plans from the UK regulator Ofcom to make the upper 6GHz spectrum available to both Wi-Fi and mobile services.
The UK Telecom regulator has just published a 6GHz spectrum consultation proposing an innovative approach to share the upper part of this band (6,425 to 7,125 MHz) between Wi-Fi and Mobile.
Ofcom proposes a phased approach: First, to allow Wi-Fi at very low power to better service communities and citizens. Secondly, as CEPT, the European spectrum co-ordination body, progresses harmonising the region, they will allow higher power mobile uses.
We’ll likely see, mobile operators using this band more in urban areas, and much less so in rural.
CEPT, which represents forty six countries in Europe and beyond, will require until 2027 to harmonise the band across its territories, but this is fundamental step to provide network vendors, manufacturers and operators with the necessary confidence to invest in new equipment and services working in this new band.
Beyond Europe the landscape is mixed. US, Canada, Argentina and Saudi have assigned the entire 6Ghz band to Wi-Fi, while in China the upper band is dedicated to 5G and 6G, India is likely to follow a similar approach. While Europe has adopted Wi-Fi in the lower 6GHZ, it is still on the fence when it comes to the upper band. This is why Ofcom’s consultation is key, setting a flexible approach for both applications, not seen elsewhere.
6 GHz frequencies are crucial to mobile operators as they offer significant and cost-effective increases in capacity and coverage, especially in dense urban areas, where demand for mobile data connectivity is high. They also improve indoor coverage in areas with high buildings. This valuable spectrum will contribute to making next generation mobile services more financially and environmentally sustainable: more available spectrum means less dense urban networks, lower CAPEX and improved energy efficiency.
On its part, Wi-Fi vendors claim they desperately need access to this band to relieve congestion. They maintain this is a no brainer; as Gigabit FTTH penetration increases, and data is by and large consumed in indoor, it is important to add capacity and speed to their next generation Wi-Fi routers, to allow users to make the most of their new superfast connections. What’s more, to be competitive in the enterprise segment, they claim they need up to seven 80Mhz wide channels to run private industrial networks.
A clash of titans one would expect, as mobile operators are also keen in playing an important role in indoor applications including the enterprise private networks segment, with 5G New Radio and Network Slicing soon coming to fruition and upping their game in industrial applications.
Both Wi-Fi and Mobile currently hold about 1,150Mhz of spectrum in UK, however the regulator plans millimetre wave spectrum to also be assigned in 2025. Which will add to the 5G frequency portfolio available.
Ofcom’s innovative approach to 6GHz spectrum sharing could set a precedent for other regions facing similar challenges. Balancing the needs of both Wi-Fi and mobile operators is no small feat, but it promises a future where both can coexist and thrive.
As the world increasingly relies on high-speed connectivity, ensuring that our spectrum is used efficiently and effectively is more critical than ever. This consultation marks a significant step towards that goal, and its outcomes will undoubtedly shape the future of telecommunications in the UK and beyond.
