Germany's Bundesnetzagentur (The Federal Network Agency) is reported to have opened a public consultation on the regulators recently unveiled draft proposal for an auction of 5G spectrum in the 2 GHz (aka 2.1 GHz) and 3.6 GHz bands. According to media reports:  the regulator intends to offer 60 MHz of paired spectrum in… Read more...

Colombia's MINTIC has opened a consultation on the draft resolution for the allocation of  spectrum in the 700 MHz and 1900 MHz bands. This is the second such consultation to be issued,  the first was run in early 2017 and concerned the first draft of the above resolution. Further details of this 2017 consultation… Read more...

There are about 30 items on the agenda for the upcoming World Radio Conference (WRC-19) and we have been sorting through them to select those with the greatest industry-wide significance. We have produced a series of Research Notes focussing on six themes, explaining where there seems to be consensus and… Read more...

November 2017 marked the half-way point between WRC-15 and WRC-19, the regular inter-governmental meeting tasked with amending the Radio Regulations. In a series of Research Notes, we take stock of global preparations for the meeting. This Note explains how the process works and we examine the agenda items in detail… Read more...

This Research Note looks at agenda items contained in Chapters 1 and 2 of the Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM) Report, principally new spectrum for High Altitude Platforms (HAPS); the identification of frequencies for some transport applications; extending the 5GHz Wi-Fi band; and terrestrial and satellite coexistence around 2 GHz. The… Read more...

This research note looks at the satellite agenda items in Chapter 3 of the CPM Report, focussing on the removal of a restriction on broadcasting-satellite services and improving spectrum access for movable earth stations and non-geostationary satellites. 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...

The outcome of Agenda Item 1.13 will be the most important factor for most national regulators in deciding which frequencies to make available for mmWave 5G services. Unsurprisingly, it is the most hotly discussed agenda item and is the topic for this Research Note. It is also the most contentious… Read more...

This concluding Research Note on WRC-19 explains the priorities of the regional bodies and how this is leading to consensus in some areas. It also explains the implications of a few bands being studied across several agenda items. Read more...

Switzerland's OFCOM has opened a public consultation regarding the draft  auction documents for assigning spectrum in the 700 MHz, 1400 MHz, 36- 3.8 GHz and 2.6 GHz bands. OFCOM has designed the auction to run as a Clock Auction and the regulator expects to issue an invitation to participate in the… Read more...