This year we have published a six-section “Spectrum 101” that sets out the fundamentals of modern spectrum management. This week we turn out attention to 5G verticals - the idea that the next generation of mobile networks will focus on industrial applications, rather than the mass consumer market. This widespread… Read more...

This autumn we are publishing a six-section "Spectrum 101" that sets out the fundamentals of modern spectrum management. This week we put the focus on 5G. Our note summarises global approaches to making spectrum available for the emerging mobile technology. Our take is that the current 4G low- and mid-bands… Read more...

For the past decade auctions have been the default assignment mechanism for mobile licences but there is growing concern about their use. Can they deliver wide high speed mobile coverage with its associated economic benefits? Some administrations think not: France is allowing operators to avoid auctions if they improve coverage… Read more...

Competition in the mobile market has always been a balancing act, but 5G may be tipping the scales. PolicyTracker's new white paper, Mobile competition in the 5G era, examines the key policy issues, including: Is more competition necessarily better? Does competition damage investment? Is there an ideal number of operators? Where do… Read more...

5G services in mmWave bands have been as popular in the US as they are unpopular in Europe. Verizon is already providing home broadband using pre-standards 5G in 28 GHz in several US cities, with AT&T following close behind. In Europe, there are plenty of mmWave trials. However, the only… Read more...

China appears to be getting closer to releasing the 700 MHz band for mobile use. The benefits of the band for mobile broadband, including rural and in-building coverage, are well documented. Chinese support, as well as making 700 MHz available domestically, would enable neighbouring Hong Kong and Macau to move ahead… Read more...

Book now to reserve one of the remaining places on our  Understanding Modern Spectrum Management course being held in London on 1-4 April. It offers a full grounding in all aspects of wireless communications but also considers how 5G can deliver the maximum benefits -  download the brochure here. Themes include: Technical possibilities… Read more...

Have you ever wondered what comes after a trillion? Or how many zeros there are in a nonillion? From crime statistics to the cost of 5G, we don't seem able to process figures we can't relate to. And, given that almost every business and government that touches our lives thinks in… Read more...

Millimetre wave spectrum not only promises to deliver faster speeds, greater bandwidth and lower latency, but its restricted propagation means it may come with a whole new range of licensing models. France, for example, is offering temporary licences in the 26 GHz band to companies willing to allow third parties access… Read more...

An O2 network failure in the UK has shown how mobile underpins vital infrastructure but is Huawei the right target for our national security fears? Even the EU is now expressing concerns. Chinese technology companies are an emerging powerhouse and banning them may soon be impractical as well as self-defeating. Read more...