by Toby Youell
The Netherlands' centuries-long taming of the North Sea has made its people expert at civil engineering and social cooperation. But while it may be able to build cities and airports below sea level, it has not been able to solve another problem: how to allow satellite and mobile services to… Read more...
by Toby Youell
A common cliche is that history repeats itself. Radio spectrum, of course, is no exception. A decade ago the digitisation of terrestrial television created a digital dividend: more low-band spectrum available for mobile broadband, particularly for emerging 4G services. This prompted a wave of 800 MHz band auctions. Many countries,… Read more...
by PolicyTracker
PolicyTracker’s longest-running course, Understanding Modern Spectrum Management, boasts some of the leading thinkers in the field and the early bird price is available if you book this week. It is taught online in live and interactive three-hour sessions from 13 - 17th September with trainers including Professors Martin Cave, William… Read more...
by Toby Youell
The C-Band (3.3 - 4.2 GHz) is almost universally acknowledged as the major mid-band 5G frequency. But despite this agreement, there are infinite shades of difference regarding how, and how much of the spectrum is made available. Some countries award the spectrum to mobile operators on a nationwide basis, but… Read more...
by Toby Youell
Unlike many countries, the head of the US regulator for commercial spectrum, the FCC, is directly appointed by the President. This means that each change of Administration results in a new Chair. The last Chair, Ajit Pai, took an energetic approach to spectrum management. He quickly implemented the 600 MHz… Read more...
by Toby Youell
The C-Band, comprising frequencies around 3.5 GHz, are widely considered crucial for 5G networks. Canada's nationwide operators, only able to bid on a limited portion of the 3450 - 3650 MHz, competed aggressively this Summer and ended up paying an average of $2.61/MHz/POP, a new record for the band. The… Read more...
by Toby Youell
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many holiday-makers to cancel foreign holidays and stick to domestic "staycations". But two billionaires in the last month have foregone foreign trips altogether and chosen "space tourism" instead. Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos trips to space are emblematic of wider excitement about the satellite industry. Back… Read more...
by Toby Youell
Auctions may have become the default way to assign spectrum, but the last quarter saw just as many beauty contests. A total of 11,076 MHz of changed or new entries were included in the latest update to the PolicyTracker Spectrum Database (PSD), including an equal number of beauty contests and auctions.… Read more...
by Toby Youell
One of the clearest spectrum management trends in the last few years is the allocation of the 6 GHz band for licence-exempt/unlicensed services. With some notable exceptions (such as China), the vast majority of the G20 group, which represents around 90% of global economic activity, have made significant moves to… Read more...
by PolicyTracker
The Spectrum Research Service now includes a benchmarking section featuring international comparisons on key policy issues. We start with 6 GHz unlicensed, an area of intense policy activity, following the US 2020 announcement to designate the whole 5925-7125 MHz band for unlicensed use. Some countries are following the US lead,… Read more...