Blog

The 5G spectrum coordination challenge seems bigger than ever for Russia’s neighbours

Spectrum decisions are national, but require coordination with neighbouring countries. All administrations have to make efforts to minimise potential interference between services. This process, cross-border frequency coordination, is central to the World Radiocommunication Conference and the Radio Regulations. But what do you do when you have a neighbour that is not interested in spectrum coordination or even appears actively hostile to it? This is the challenge faced by Estonia, Finland,…
| Jonathan Watson

Spectrum decisions are national, but require coordination with neighbouring countries. All administrations have to make efforts to minimise potential interference between services.

This process, cross-border frequency coordination, is central to the World Radiocommunication Conference and the Radio Regulations.

But what do you do when you have a neighbour that is not interested in spectrum coordination or even appears actively hostile to it? This is the challenge faced by Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Poland—six of the 14 states that share a border with Russia.

It's a long-standing issue that has been made considerably worse by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The country is now widely regarded as a pariah state.

Russia's 5G plans seem to be stuck between a government intent on using the 4.8—4.99 GHz band and an industry that would rather use 3.4—3.8 GHz and 700 MHz. This lack of clarity is a further complication for cross-border negotiations.

How do Russia's neighbours value and sell 5G spectrum that may be unusable in certain parts of the country? For the most part, they are pressing ahead with their spectrum assignment plans.

A Research Note on the situation has just been added to our Spectrum Research Service. Subscribers to the Service can read it here.

Blog

Img Alt

Newsletter

Discover why hundreds of regulators and technology companies use our services

SUBSCRIBE
Comments
UK mobile operators warn of Vodafone/Three spectrum dominance
Update (March 22, 2024): The CMA has..." by Richard Haas
Mar 22, 2024
Telefónica criticises EU Orange/MásMóvil merger decision
The Spanish government approved the..." by Mirva Villa
Mar 13, 2024
Exclusive: Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau on WRC-23 
Noted and amended. Many thanks Nikolai." by Laura Sear
Mar 13, 2024
Exclusive: Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau on WRC-23 
Not everyone knows that NOW4WRC23..." by Nikolai Shienok
Mar 13, 2024
Regulators should prioritise social welfare, not infrastructure targets
Richard, thanks for amending the text...." by Nikolai Shienok
Feb 16, 2024