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Why is interest growing in 4.5 GHz for 5G?

Where China and Japan lead, others tend to follow. So what is drawing the two telecoms superpowers to take such an interest in the 4.4-4.9 GHz band? Other sub-6 GHz bands, such as 3.4-3.6 GHz, might be more in the 5G limelight but our new 4.5 GHz Research Note explains what is driving this new interest and which other countries might follow suit. Research Notes 4.5 GHz A number of…

Jan 12, 2018 | Spectrum Research Service Blog

Where China and Japan lead, others tend to follow. So what is drawing the two telecoms superpowers to take such an interest in the 4.4-4.9 GHz band?

Other sub-6 GHz bands, such as 3.4-3.6 GHz, might be more in the 5G limelight but our new 4.5 GHz Research Note explains what is driving this new interest and which other countries might follow suit.

Research Notes

4.5 GHz

A number of countries are looking at 4.5 GHz as a possible 5G band. Japan, its most serious supporter, plans to allocate the frequencies in March 2019. Other interested countries include China, Korea, Myanmar and Taiwan. China has the most developed interest of the other countries.

Japan

Japan will be hosting the Olympic Games in 2020 and the country plans to use the event as a showcase for new technologies such as 5G. As a result, both its government and its operators are very active in testing the technology.

China

China’s government and its three mobile network operators (MNOs) are actively preparing for 5G. The MNOs expect to launch commercial services by 2020.

When should merging mobile operators be required to divest spectrum?

Talk of a merger between US carriers T-Mobile and Sprint came to nothing but stimulated lots of discussion about how much spectrum they would have to give up. This made us wonder: do merging operators always have to give up spectrum? How do competition authorities decide how much divestiture is needed?

News articles

Dynamic Spectrum Alliance updates model rules for TVWS devices – but will they matter?

Revamped Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA) model rules for TV white space (TVWS) technology seek to encourage the rollout of TVWS networks in order to close the digital divide and enable the Internet of Things (IoT). But while the DSA claims the use of TVWS is on the rise, one regulator says the problem is not […]

UK regulator eyes spectrum sharing in 3.8-4.2 GHz band

Plans are in their early stages but Ofcom is looking at the possibility of granting industrial and commercial users direct access to spectrum in the satellite band. The regulator is also due to announce its plans for coverage obligations in its auction of 700 MHz spectrum in the coming months. Steve Unger, group director and […]

Singapore sees the IoT as a key part of its “digital transformation”

The huge potential benefits and rapid development of the Internet of Things (IoT) have encouraged regulators in various countries to formulate relevant policy roadmaps and regulation. Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) issued the Infocomm Media Industry Transformation Map in November, introducing national strategies to “equip the country for the digital economy” by boosting the growth […]

New US coalition pushes for more TVWS spectrum for rural broadband

Connect Americans Now (CAN) wants to bring affordable, reliable broadband to over 20 million people in rural areas using TV white space (TVWS) technology. Could the initiative help drive greater use of TVWS spectrum? Launched on 2 January, CAN is the brainchild of Microsoft, which announced its proposed new rural broadband strategy in July 2017. Coalition […]

All 50 US states and several territories sign up with FirstNet

All 50 US states, two territories and Washington D.C. decided to join the public safety wireless broadband network before the window closed on 28 December. Governors in almost all US states and territories have opted in to plans for the construction of critical communications networks by a public-private partnership between an authority of the US […]

UK regulator says there is no need for change in licensing law for 5G

Ofcom said it was also planning to launch a consultation on sharing in the 3.8-4.2 GHz band later this year. The band was set aside for satellite at WRC-15 but Ofcom said last month that there was potential for “increased sharing for potential new innovative applications,” such as wideband IoT (Internet of Things) services for […]

Norway to consult mobile operators about LTE PPDR network on commercial spectrum

The request for information follows a joint call from the country’s spectrum regulator Nkom and the current network provider, which is operated by Motorola – one of the main partners in the UK’s LTE PPDR project. Senior European tech officials in Europe joked in early 2017 to PolicyTracker that the UK was pursuing a bizarre and […]

The story of 2017 in 5G quotes: episode 2

In the second part of this two-part series, we reflect on the continuing discussions this year about the mmWave bands.In March, a trial launched in London by Samsung and Arqiva was the first sign of 5G in the 28 GHz band – or was it? One source told us that the fixed wireless technology being used […]

The story of 2017 in 5G quotes: episode 1

For mobile operators, 2017 came full circle as it drew to a close. Just like last year, senior figures from the mobile industry are starting the winter by urging caution on the how 5G is sold. Johan Wibergh, chief technical officer at Vodafone, told a conference in London in November 2017 that 5G would eventually […]