Spectrum in the UK Digital Strategy

2 Mar 2017 02:05 PM

UK Digital Strategy acknowledges the importance of spectrum in facilitating further investment and innovation in 5G technologies.

The UK Government yesterday launched the UK Digital Strategy which sets out Government’s plans on how it will build on the UK’s success to date to develop a world-leading digital economy that works for everyone.

In addition to recognising the importance of the UK’s communications infrastructure, the Strategy also acknowledges the importance of spectrum in facilitating further investment and innovation in 5G technologies.

 "Spectrum for connectivity

Better use of radio spectrum will also facilitate further investment and innovation in 5G technologies. We will deliver on our commitment to free up 750 MHz of public sector spectrum in bands below 10 GHz by 2022, having already made over half (384 MHz) available to use since 2010.

This includes continuing the approach set out in the 2014 Spectrum Strategy of charging government departments a market-based fee for their spectrum use, encouraging spectrum sharing and wherever possible making suitable spectrum available for advanced communications technologies such as 5G.”

In the 2014 UK Spectrum Strategy, the Government gave significant prominence to the industry-led UK Spectrum Policy Forum – charging the UK Spectrum Policy Forum to “act as a sounding board for Government and Ofcom and to challenge them on the priorities for spectrum management.” Government in turn committed to “work with the UK Spectrum Policy Forum to keep the Spectrum Strategy focused on the key issues for delivering best value for the UK from spectrum.”

More information is available on the activities of the UK Spectrum Policy Forum.

UK Digital Strategy Recognises the Importance of the UK’s Comms Infrastructure: techUK welcomes the Strategy and highlights communications infrastructure initiatives underway which will contribute to the strategy’s aims.

Digital Strategy Puts Digital at the Heart of Global Britain: techUK's Deputy CEO Antony Walker responds to the Government's Digital Strategy