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Ofcom has today published an update on spectrum bands above 6 GHz that might be suitable for next generation mobile, often referred to as ‘5G’.

This document summarises responses from Ofcom's earlier Call for Input in January and sets out their current views on bands and next steps. The update identifies several bands in different parts of the 6 – 100 GHz range they believe are candidates for further study for use in the UK.

Ofcom's goal is to have globally harmonised bands for next generation mobile services and is currently engaging with other administrations around the world, ahead of these services becoming commercially available in the next five to six years.

Consideration of these bands will now be taken forward in forthcoming international discussions, including the World Radiocommunication Conference-15 (WRC-15) at which the scope of a future WRC-19 agenda item on bands above 6 GHz will be considered.

This does not guarantee these bands will be adopted in the future and they are not ruling out considering other options ahead of WRC-15, pending further research and development.

Seperately, Ofcom commissioned Quotient Associates at the beginning of January to investigate the suitability of frequency bands above 6 GHz for potential future 5G mobile systems.

Quotient has now completed its independent report on bands above 6 GHz and this has been published on the Ofcom website in parallel to the above Ofcom document. In its study Quotient have identified five potential bands with bandwidth of at least 1 GHz, summarised in the picture above.

techUK has various programmes that have been working on identifying spectrum that would be suitable for next generation mobile networks. TheCommunications Policy Council and Satellite Applications and Services have both been working closely with the tech industry for making sure the available spectrum supports innovative future technologies and does not impact any existing applications and services already being used by various technologies of today.