Efforts are continuing to draft 5G agenda items for WRC-19 that will not only have a chance of finding agreement, but also develop more quickly than the ITU's traditions and timescales usually allow. Read more...

In the run-up to this year's World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15), one issue discussed less than others so far is Agenda Item 1.3, which looks at identifying spectrum for broadband public protection and disaster relief (PPDR). Read more...

LightSquared, whose plan for a US nationwide wireless LTE network was shot down by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) because of interference issues with Global Positioning System (GPS) users, has given itself a new(ish) name and embarked on another bid to provide wireless services. Read more...

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has given the go-ahead for a “citizens' broadband radio service” that allows three levels of spectrum sharing in the 3.5 (3550-3700 MHz) GHz band. Read more...

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) could help to relieve some of the pressure on public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) spectrum in emergencies, according to Ashutosh Natraj of the University of Oxford's Department of Computer Science. Read more...

The deadline has now passed for comments on the Lamy report on the future of the UHF band in Europe. While the European Commission won't release the consultation responses for a month – there were 354, of which 260 were from individuals and 94 from organisations – statements issued this… Read more...

Planned consolidation in the UK telecoms industry has led Ofcom to propose additional limits on the L-band (1452–1492 MHz) to prevent spectrum being traded without prior approval from the regulator. A consultation on the proposals lasts until 8 May. Read more...

Europe's technical authority the ECC has agreed a new "work item" to develop harmonised conditions for mobile/fixed communications networks (MFCN) in the 450 MHz band. Read more...

The mobile industry has expressed discontent with what it sees as a growing consensus among European institutions that would leave it with less additional spectrum identified for mobile broadband than it wants. The criticism comes amidst an earlier than expected consensus on some agenda items for WRC-15. Read more...

South Africa has finally unveiled its final spectrum assignment plan for international mobile telephony (IMT), but operators shouldn't expect access to the spectrum for mobile broadband any time soon. Read more...