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...

France's four main mobile network operators (MNOs) have all started testing 5G in the 3.5 GHz band, and consultations are underway on the 26 GHz band. The government's "new deal" with the MNOs has been hailed as an innovative way to improve 4G coverage. Consolidation remains a strong possibility. Read more...

Austria expects to start auctioning spectrum for 5G in autumn this year. In 2018 and 2019, the plan is to award frequencies in the 700 MHz, 1500 MHz, 2100 MHz and 3.4-3.8 GHz bands. Read more...

UK regulator Ofcom and the UK's four mobile network operators are actively preparing for the 5G era. Despite a series of legal challenges, Ofcom has now auctioned the 2.3 and 3.4 GHz bands. The 700 MHz band is due to be auctioned (lawyers permitting) by 2020. Read more...

German mobile operators are currently planning to deploy 5G in the 700 MHz band, which was auctioned in June 2015. More auctions of spectrum suitable for 5G are due in 2019. The country's competition authority believes that a fourth mobile operator needs to enter the market to boost competition. Read more...

Just 2% of Spain's land mass is made up of 'intensively built-up' areas, yet it is inhabited by almost half of the population. 'Built up' areas cover a slightly larger 5% of the land mass and house a further 24% of the population. 'Moderately built-up' areas cover a larger 32%… Read more...

Just 6% of the UK's land mass is made up of 'intensively built-up' areas and is inhabited by 75% of the population. The remaining population live mostly in 'moderately built-up' areas which make up 34% of the land mass, leaving over half of land mass containing very few people. Read more...

Telefonica Group wants more globally harmonised spectrum for 5G. It supports use of bands below 6 GHz, particularly the C-band (3.4-4.2 GHz) and its priorities for WRC-19 are 26 GHz and  40 GHz. It is critical of spectrum assignment regimes in some of the countries in which it operates and… Read more...

Just 2% of the land mass holds 40% of the French population who live in 'intensively built-up' areas. A large proportion of the population live in 'moderately built-up' areas which cover over half of the land mass. 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...