by Laura Sear
With the draft CPM text deadline falling on 23 October 2026 and CPM27-2 scheduled for 5–15 April 2027, most regional groups are now finalising rather than drafting their positions. Read more...
by Laura Sear
With the 23 October 2026 deadline for draft CPM text approaching, regional groups have sharpened their positions on the four mobile-satellite agenda items. Direct-to-device connectivity under agenda item 1.13 dominates the discussion, with most regional groups leaning towards a secondary allocation linked to agreements with mobile operators. Read more...
by Dianne Northfield
Over the next 5-10 years, spectrum regulators will need to deal with the expiry of licences across multiple bands and operators. The sheer scale of spectrum licences reaching maturity makes this a huge issue as regulators seek to balance multiple policy objectives, including ensuring continuity of service for end users,… Read more...
by Dianne Northfield
PolicyTracker’s spectrum licence renewal benchmark examines the ways in which regulators around the world are dealing with the issue of expiring spectrum licences. While noting regional variations, a majority of nations are using administrative procedures to renew or extend licences with expiry dates pending. Key trends over recent years include… Read more...
by Dianne Northfield
Several nations in Europe have adopted innovative approaches to spectrum licence renewals, as profiled in this Research Note. In each case, there has been a distinct policy shift over the last decade in terms of both the widespread adoption of administrative renewal mechanisms rather than re-auctions and a policy emphasis… Read more...
by Dianne Northfield
Just over twenty per cent of spectrum licence renewals in Europe are based on new awards to re-auction spectrum with expiring licences pending. Many licence renewals in the region are based on multiband auctions, including bands with spectrum which are nearing renewal dates and new 5G bands. The modification or… Read more...
by Dianne Northfield
Over 70% of European nations included in the benchmark use administrative procedures to implement licence renewals and extensions. The renewal procedures across the region are used extensively to modify or add new coverage commitments, in some cases in exchange for waived or discounted upfront payments for spectrum grants. Read more...
by Dianne Northfield
Regulators in Asia have used both auctions and administrative procedures to renew expiring spectrum licences. Across the nations in the region included in the benchmark, three have used a combination of both methods. The typical approach to licence renewals through auctions adopted in Asia is the simultaneous award of one… Read more...
by Dianne Northfield
Most nations in Asia included in the benchmark have used administrative procedures to either renew or extend spectrum licences upon their expiry. The typical administrative approach adopted by regulators in the region is the simultaneous award of one or more bands across multiple operators. Read more...
by Dianne Northfield
Nations across the Americas use administrative procedures to renew expiring spectrum licences. A number of regulators in the region have used the renewal processes to modify or add new coverage obligations. Renewals are typically associated with the granting of long-term licence validity periods. Read more...