NTT DOCOMO is Japan's leading mobile operator, but it is also a key player on the world stage in 5G innovation.  With the government gearing up for the country's first spectrum auction, the operator has urged against giving excessive weight to the economic value of spectrum. Read more...

Analysts expect mobile to dominate the market for IoT connections, but there is greater uncertainty about what this will mean for revenues.  The key question seems to be, can operators provide more than just the pipe? 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...

The Brazilian regulator is one of many worldwide to have launched a consultation on using the 3.5 GHz band for 5G. However, it intends to focus on LTE-A in the band first. The regulator has also said that 5G auctions will be held after 2020, once global terms on bandwidth… Read more...

German mobile operators are currently planning to deploy 5G in the 700 MHz band, which was auctioned in June 2015. They also expect to make use of spectrum in and surrounding the 3.5 GHz range. However, none has announced any firm 5G targets, or said much about 5G trials outside… Read more...

UK regulator Ofcom and the UK's four mobile network operators are actively preparing for the 5G era. However, Ofcom's plan to auction the 2.3 and 3.4 GHz bands could be held up by legal action. The 700 MHz band is due to be auctioned (lawyers permitting) by 2020. Read more...

Like the UK, France currently has four main mobile network operators - Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free - and their attempts to consolidate have come to nothing so far. The regulator, ARCEP, recently announced plans to release spectrum in the 2.3 GHz and 3.5 GHz bands for 5G. The… 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...

Swedish regulator PTS has been planning to assign the 700 MHz to mobile operators for some time but suffered a setback in late 2016 when the award was delayed due to "security concerns". However, it now seems to be back on track and the authority is also planning to assign… Read more...

The French telecoms carrier is focused on 5G, with its immediate priorities to ensure effective, coordinated rollout of 700 MHz and 3.6 GHz spectrum. For its expanding 4G networks, Orange is lobbying on refarming and license renewal issues. Read more...