The GSMA believes that if governments fail to open larger amounts of spectrum in the 6 GHz range (5925-7125 MHz), the global future of 5G is at risk. In a recent statement issued with Ericsson, Huawei, Nokia and ZTE, the association asserted that “5G is a pillar of digital transformation”, and further, that spectrum in the 6 GHz range is affordable and “sits at a balancing point between coverage and capacity,” making it “perfect” for 5G.
Not only is the GSMA urging the release of this mid-band spectrum, but it is also pushing for global alignment in the process of doing so. The association suggested that governments around the world are diverging on their 6 GHz plans, citing China’s plan to use the entire 1200 megahertz in the 6 GHz band for 5G, while Europe, Africa and the Middle East have opted to split the band, with some going towards 5G, and the rest to Wi-Fi.
Then, of course, the U.S. and several Latin American governments have designated the entire 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi and other unlicensed technologies.
“5G has the potential to boost the world’s GDP by $2.2 trillion,” said John Giusti, chief regulatory officer for the GSMA. “But there is a clear threat to this growth if sufficient 6 GHz spectrum is not made available for 5G. Clarity and certainty are essential to fostering the massive, long-term investments in this critical infrastructure.”
Specifically, the GSMA is calling on governments to make at least 6425-7125 MHz available for licensed 5G; ensure backhaul services are protected; and, depending on countries’ needs, incumbent use and fiber footprint, open up the bottom half of the 6 GHz range at 5925-6425 MHz on a license-exempt basis with technology neutral rules.
Not everyone agrees with the GSMA’s implication that opening up the entire, or even some of, the 6 GHz frequency band for unlicensed Wi-Fi use is a bad thing. When the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved opening up the 6 GHz frequency band for unlicensed use by Wi-Fi 6 technology in April 2020, many called the decision monumental and historic.
Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) CEO Tiago Rodrigues told RCR Wireless News — perhaps unsurprisingly — that the development “will rewrite the rules of what is possible” when it comes to capacity and capability of networks.
The joint statement, however, argued that for 5G and its various, world-changing use cases to reach all users and businesses, “industries will require the extra capacity that the 6 GHz range offers.”
“The integration of 5G into our lives and work will impact communities, create jobs and drive forward economic growth,” the statement read. “Its success is crucial for the environment as 5G will support an era where connectivity reduces carbon emissions. 6 GHz capacity can help create a global green economy and provide connectivity to drive the availability of 5G for all.”
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