GSMA cautions mobile operators on access to the right 5G Spectrum

The successful rollout of ultra-fast 5G services relies on timely access to the right amount and type of spectrum in the next year, warns the GSMA in an industry position released yesterday.

As the race to launch 5G services intensifies, the GSMA highlights the need for governments, regulators and the mobile industry to work together to deliver widespread coverage, and the full potential of 5G for everyone.

According to the ‘GSMA Public Policy Position on 5G Spectrum,’ governments around the world have started to auction spectrum for 5G networks, but variations in how much spectrum has been assigned, the onerous conditions imposed – and the cost of access to that spectrum – means the speed, reach and quality of 5G services could vary dramatically between countries.

Early adopter countries will be the first to realise the significant benefits of 5G – from fibre-like mobile broadband speeds and smarter cities to autonomous cars and digitised factories – and stand to reap important socio-economic benefits including GDP growth.

GSMA Intelligence forecasts that there will be 1.3 billion 5G connections by 2025, but this will be dependent on operators gaining access to sufficient spectrum.

“Operators urgently need more spectrum to deliver the endless array of services that 5G will enable – our 5G future depends heavily on the decisions governments are making in the next year as we head into WRC-19.

“Without strong government support to allocate sufficient spectrum to next generation mobile services, it will be impossible to achieve the global scale that will make 5G affordable and accessible for everyone. There is a real opportunity for innovation from 5G, but this hinges on governments focusing on making enough spectrum available, not maximising auction revenues for short term gains ,” said Brett Tarnutzer, Head of Spectrum, GSMA.

“Governments and regulators have a major role to play in ensuring that consumers get the best outcome from 5G,” added Tarnutzer.

“Once spectrum is allocated to mobile at WRC, licensing that spectrum at a national level, as history has shown, can take up to 10 years. Therefore, it is essential that governments take the right action now,” he said.