What is spectrum ?

Anything that connects wirelessly requires spectrum. Spectrum has different characteristics which makes it suitable for different purposes:

■ Scientific & meteorlogical

■ Mobile broadband

■ Aeronautical & maritime

■ Broadcasting (TV/radio)

■ Private mobile radio

■ Mobile satellite services & radio localisation (GPS)

■ Unlicenced (Wifi) / satellite

Spectrum for mobile

Spectrum for mobile is key to deliver connectivity to devices, dongles and tablets as well as industry and applications of the future. This includes smart health, connected objects, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

But as more users come online, the existing networks have just about reached the limit of what they are capable of. This is because users want more and more data for their devices. However, spectrum is a limited resource. As more demand increases, more spectrum is needed and everybody wants some.

For mobile spectrum we use

New frequency bands for mobile are identified through the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which hosts the World Radio Conference. This conference takes place every 4 years. Lower frequencies are better suited to providing coverage as they travel further. On the other hand, higher frequencies have a shorter range but provide greater capacity. That is why we need a combination of both high and low frequencies.

How are these allocated?

Spectrum is allocated through various methods. The most effective way of allocating spectrum is by an auction process. This ensures this scarce resource is allocated to those who value it most. Also, those who value it most will make use of these most efficiently.

Costs

Cost for spectrum varies country to country and is very much dependant on the market and competition. Billions of dollars were spent by operators arround the world on spectrum licences “rights of use” to deliver various generations of mobile connectivity. The 5G licences that was awarded in 2019 in italy for example has costed nearly 7 billions euros for operators in this country. For more information about cost 5G auctions arround countries, refer to our article belw.

https://www.5gworldpro.com/5g-news/110-5g-auctions-around-the-world.html