On 16 and 17 September we will accept applications to bid in the auction for licences to use 26 GHz and 40 GHz spectrum (known as ‘mmWave’ spectrum).
The licences will enable this spectrum to be used for mobile technology, including 5G services, which will help to unlock a number of benefits for consumers.
mmWave spectrum will enable improved mobile services, particularly when it comes to capacity and speeds in cities, major towns and busy areas. In addition, mmWave spectrum could enable innovative wireless applications requiring large amounts of data, very high speeds, or both.
We are making 5.4 GHz of spectrum available, which is the most we’ve ever released in an auction.
5G mobile use of mmWave spectrum is still at an early stage worldwide, and we are one of the first countries to release it in large quantities. In doing so, our aim is to enable innovation and improvement in services across the mobile sector.
What does mmWave mean for mobile users?
Making mmWave spectrum available for new uses has the potential to deliver significant benefits to people and businesses in the UK.
This type of spectrum will enable services requiring very high capacity and speeds. It can play an important role in enabling mobile providers to meet current needs and future growth in demand for data – this means that it can help to improve capacity in busy places like train stations, busy urban areas, and sports and music venues where lots of people want to use their mobile phone at the same time.
As part of the auction launching today, we are awarding the spectrum in 68 “high-density” areas (that is, the towns and cities in the UK where we have identified high demand for mobile data).
We are already making spectrum in the 26 GHz band available to those who want a licence through our shared access licensing regime. This regime offers local area licences – for example this spectrum might be used to provide fixed wireless broadband in rural communities or to support automation in industrial sites, such as busy ports.
Details of the confirmed bidders, start date and results will be published on our website.
What is spectrum?
You can’t see or feel radio spectrum. But any device that communicates wirelessly needs spectrum – such as televisions, car key fobs, baby monitors, wireless microphones and satellites. Mobile phones use spectrum to connect to a local mast so people can make calls and access the internet.
Why does Ofcom manage spectrum use?
Only a limited amount of spectrum is available, so it needs to be managed carefully. Certain bands of spectrum are also used for different purposes. For example, mobile companies use different parts of the spectrum to TV companies. So, it needs to be managed to prevent services interfering with each other and causing disruption to people and businesses.