British Telecommunications Authority Announces Final Proposal for Millimeter Wave Band Auction

Ofcom, the UK's broadcasting and telecommunications regulator, recently announced its final proposals for the auction of spectrum in the millimeter wave band. According to the proposal, the authority plans to open up the 2.4 GHz width of the 26 GHz band (25.1 GHz to 27.5 GHz) and the 3 GHz width of the 40 GHz band (40.5 GHz to 43.5 GHz), with the auction expected to take place in 2025.

According to the new proposal, the available frequency bands will be classified into three categories: 25.1G-26.5GHz, 26.5G-27.5GHz, and 40.5G-43.5GHz, with 200MHz width allocated per slot. The minimum bid price is expected to be 2 million pounds per slot for the 26 GHz band and 1 million pounds per slot for the 40 GHz band.

Ofcom had announced in September 2023 that it would open up millimeter wave bands for mobile technologies, including 5G services, to provide high-speed 5G in 68 towns and cities across the UK. The agency explained that these frequency bands "can transmit large amounts of data and have the potential to improve mobile communication speeds in high-traffic areas such as train stations, soccer stadiums, and concert venues. They also mentioned the potential to support innovative services such as VR applications and factory automation.

Ofcom has also stated that the auction will not take place until the UK Competition Authority has made a decision on the proposed merger between Vodafone, the third largest telecommunications company in the UK, and Three UK, the fourth largest. Ofcom expects to provide further information on the timing of the auction before the end of the year.

Materials

• Brit telcos to clash in high-speed mmWave spectrum showdown next year
• Ofcom will award spectrum in the 25.1-27.5 GHz and 40.5-43.5 GHz bands next year
• Ofcom to auction mmWave spectrum for high-speed 5G in UK cities