A broad alliance of network operators, hardware manufacturers, and associations is urging EU member states not to allocate the 6 GHz band for mobile phone use ahead of the World Radio Conference. In an open letter, around 50 industry representatives, including the German Federal Association of Broadband Communication and Fritzbox manufacturer AVM, argue that the EU’s gigabit goals for Europe can only be achieved through a mix of all technologies. They warn that allocating the 6 GHz band to mobile communications would limit flexibility and make harmonization with other countries more difficult. Russia and China also want to use the band for 5G. The lower part of the 6 GHz band is already used for WLAN in Europe, but industry representatives argue that this is not enough to meet future connectivity requirements. They call for the range between 6425 and 7125 MHz to remain open for WLAN use. The International Telecommunication Union is responsible for regulating frequencies worldwide and organizes the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) where decisions on global frequency usage are made. The next WRC will be held in Dubai from November 20 to December 15, 2023, and the designation of the upper 6 GHz band for mobile telecommunications will be on the agenda. In ITU Region 1, which includes Europe, Africa, and Russia, the 6 GHz band is primarily affected. The US has already released the band for WLAN use in some areas. The signatories of the open letter call on European representatives at the WRC to oppose the designation of the band for mobile communications in order to keep all options open. They argue that the 6 GHz band is critical for mobile networking and essential for achieving the EU’s goals for 2030. The mobile communications industry requires additional bandwidth, with the 6 GHz band playing a vital role. The industry association GSMA insists that the upper part of the band be designated for mobile use, while the lower range should be considered for either mobile communications or unlicensed use open to all technologies.
