Japanese operator SoftBank was assigned new spectrum in the 3.7 GHz and 28 GHz bands for 5G, and is focused on high-altitude platforms for the Internet of Things and 5G.  The proposed merger of its US segment Sprint with T-Mobile looks set to be approved, while Sprint is deploying 5G… Read more...

A mobile broadband pioneer, South Korea completed a major spectrum auction in 2018, but has no medium-term plans for future awards. Read more...

The Indian operator is frequently name-checked as a model for successfully breaking into a mobile market with its straight-to-4G, data-only strategy. But Reliance Jio Infocomm looks like a one-off: finding another visionary, billionaire backer like Mukesh Ambani, willing to invest a significant chunk of his capital in spectrum and infrastructure… Read more...

The Indian regulator is planning a major 5G auction soon, but the country's mobile operators are currently in no hurry to spend big money on more spectrum. Two of the three biggest operators - Vodafone and Idea Cellular - have now completed a merger. Read more...

China Mobile operates only in its home country but has the world's largest 4G network by number of subscribers. Under its "Big Connectivity" strategy, it remains focused on leading the development of the mobile market while continuing its strong participation in global 5G activities. The operator initially favours C-band for… Read more...

India's population is widely dispersed across the country, where only a small proportion of the population lives in areas with a low population density (less than 25 people per km2). Almost half of the population live in 'built-up' areas which are widely spread around the country but concentrated mostly in… Read more...

Unlike the 2.4 GHz ISM band, the most attractive unlicensed spectrum for low-power IoT networks just below 1 GHz is not globally harmonised. Is better harmonisation needed and how much can be achieved? Read more...

This note looks at agenda items contained under Chapters 4, 5, and 6 of the Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM) report, focussing on additional spectrum for the control and tracking of satellites; protecting data uplinks from ocean buoys and weather stations; accommodating the new Global Maritime Distress Safety Systems; and making an amateur… Read more...

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. Read more...

India's huge potential as a 5G market looks likely to remain untapped for some time. Operators are still struggling to improve access to 4G and few 5G tests are under way. Read more...