2025: What just happened?

Our 2025 wrap-up article identifies some clear trends and some not-so-clear ones. In satellite, attention has shifted from IMTInternational Mobile Telecommunications (I… bands to MSSMobile-satellite service (MSS) describes a… and in defence, changing geopolitics has put an increasing focus on the sector’s spectrum needs.

Political intervention in spectrum policy has rarely been so direct as it was in the US this year, where the Federal Comuncations Commission and National Telecommunications and Information Administration were ordered to find 800 MHz of spectrum to auction, leading to a frantic hunt around the mid-bands. Some clarity is also emerging in the upper 6 GHz debate, with the mobile sector notching several policy victories.

In the less clear department, spectrum sharing, particularly automated frequency coordination (AFC), has made slow progress this year, counterbalanced by doubts about the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS). It is joined by digital terrestrial TV, where some services have been switched off and some licences renewed against a background of falling audiences.

Enough about spectrum. What about the holidays?

We are extremely grateful to all our readers for your support over 2025 and for sharing your insights into spectrum policy, without which there would be no PolicyTracker!

Instead of sending Christmas cards, we have made charitable donations to the Trussell Trust, which provides foodbanks here in the UK, and to Unicef‘s global work promoting children’s health, safety and education.

Finally, some news from PT Towers: our longest-serving editorial colleague, Dugie Standeford, retired a few weeks ago, having worked with us for 17 years! Dugie is now 76, and those who have met her can see that spectrum policy has kept her young! On that happy note, I will wish you a wonderful holiday.