GSA (Global mobile Suppliers Association) is welcoming the decision today of the global spectrum regulators at the ITU’s World Radio Conference 2019 (WRC-19) to identify several millimeter wave frequency bands for 5G IMT.  According to their release, more than 10 GHz of spectrum for 5G in the 26, 40, 47 and 66 GHz ranges was agreed today at the WRC-19 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. This decision will pave the way for governments and regulators around the world to make frequency bands available for ultra-fast 5G services in hotspots and home broadband environments by relying on a global ecosystem. 

GSA members have participated in the difficult negotiations that have taken place in the run up to this decision, particularly with regards to 26 GHz, keeping in mind the need to protect satellite services in the adjacent spectrum while remaining committed to delivery of high–performance economical solutions to the global markets.   

GSA was also pleased that administrations have agreed to study additional spectrum opportunities in the mid-band frequencies between 3.3 and 10.5 GHz, as well as spectrum below 1 GHz. This will help enable 5G services to be further deployed in wider geographical areas, including rural areas, as well as meet the anticipated increased traffic needs of population centres in the next decade.

Joe Barrett, President of GSA, commented: “The Industry forecast is that by 2024 over 130 Exabyte of data will be transmitted globally every month and the mobile industry will need to massively deploy 5G technology in a broad range of frequency bands to meet this demand. Applications that will drive this massive data usage include 8k mobile video, Augmented and Virtual Reality, HD video, industrial automation and robotics, drone and aeronautical networks and the IoT. Spectrum regulators have recognized that low-, mid- and high-band frequencies need to be available and harmonised globally as much as is possible to ensure mobile broadband can meet the expanding services both industry and consumers are expecting in the coming years. Today’s decision is a significant and welcome step in ensuring the transformational power of 5G can be fully realized in every market around the world.”