The 6 GHz band is set to be one of the hottest of the hot topics in the run-up to WRC-23. As our updated 6 GHz benchmark shows, many countries are waiting on decisions due to be taken at the conference before defining licensed or unlicensed policies for the upper… Read more...

For nearly 20 years PolicyTracker has been examining the policy debates behind spectrum management but this year we set ourselves a new challenge. We wanted to introduce the subject to a general audience rather than solely addressing expert practitioners. The result is our Spectrum Policy 101 podcast. We interview a… Read more...

In the final days of 2022, Spain completed its auction of the 26 GHz band. The country was the only EU member state to assign spectrum in the band in the entire year. This probably came as no surprise to the Spanish regulator. Consultation responses ahead of the auction revealed… Read more...

The latest iteration of the PolicyTracker spectrum database shows that the two 5G "pioneer bands" remain popular for regulators across the world. Of the ten countries which have recently awarded spectrum, half have handed out licences in the 3.3—3.8 GHz band. Kazakhstan, Montenegro, northern Cyprus (disputed territory), Romania and Tanzania… Read more...

As the Christmas holiday season begins I would like to say thank you to all our readers. Thank you for your support, your thoughts and your feedback which allows us to be part of the vibrant and welcoming spectrum policy community around the world. As in previous years we haven't… Read more...

For many people, the acronym "AFC" can only refer to one thing: Arsenal Football Club. In the spectrum world, however, it refers to automated frequency coordination. This is a spectrum use coordination system that consists of a registered database of all the bands in use by various types of radio… Read more...

Put simply, a regulatory sandbox enables innovators to trial new products, services and business models in a real-world environment without some of the usual rules applying. They're used in many sectors and are now becoming increasingly popular in the spectrum world. According to the ITU’s 2022 Global Connectivity Report, nearly… Read more...

The world’s biggest broadcaster will soon move completely online, says the BBC director general, Tim Davie, with terrestrial TV and radio channels replaced by IP services. But how soon? Here he is vague—just saying we are in a “defining decade"—which implies that BBC terrestrial will either be on its way… Read more...

The European Commission has approved harmonised technical conditions for the 1800 MHz and 2.1 GHz bands to allow passengers to make calls, text and use their data services in midair. Brussels has also opened up 5 GHz for WiFi on buses and public transport. “Since 2008, the Commission’s implementing decision… Read more...

Despite a lack of clarity surrounding mmWave use cases and unproven business models, regulators and industry are examining a range of new approaches to mmWave spectrum sharing. UK regulator Ofcom, for example, has introduced a shared access licensing regime across a range of mid- and high-band spectrum ranges. In May… Read more...