Enabling mmWave spectrum for new uses

Spectrum Spectrum awards Consultations and statements

Published: 16 April 2024

Consultation closes: 28 May 2024

Status: Closed (statement published)

Last updated: 11 November 2024

We are enabling the industry to use a large amount of spectrum in the 26 GHz and 40 GHz bands (together, “mmWave spectrum”) for new services, including 5G. The 26 GHz and 40 GHz spectrum bands, which together comprise 6.25 GHz of spectrum, have both been identified for mobile services globally, and for 5G in Europe. Making mmWave spectrum available for new uses has the potential to deliver significant benefits to people and businesses in the UK.

We plan to auction licences to use spectrum in the 25.1-27.5 GHz and 40.5-43.5 GHz bands in certain parts of the country (the major towns and cities in which we expect the highest volume of mmWave deployment). We expect to provide an update on the likely timing of the auction after the CMA has made a final decision on the proposed merger of Vodafone and H3G’s UK telecoms businesses.

We are also making licences to use mmWave spectrum available on a local basis, using our existing Shared Access licensing framework. We recently published an update on the timing that these licences will be available.

Latest publications

On 11 November 2024, we published the following documents related to the award: the final draft auction regulations, the Information Memorandum, the process guidance for potential applicants and bidders in the auction, and a document setting out the boundaries of the “High Density” areas in which award winners will be licenced to transmit.

Auction documents

The Information Memorandum provides information for parties considering bidding in the auction regarding the relevant spectrum, the licence terms, and the award process.

mmWave Information Memorandum

Annex 1 - 26 GHz Lower Draft licence

Annex 2 - 26 GHz Upper Draft licence

Annex 3 - 26 GHz Final Draft licence

Annex 4 - 40 GHz Draft licence.

Annex 5 - Coordination procedures under the Spectrum Access High Density 26 GHz and 40 GHz licences

The Process Guidance is designed to provide information about practical aspects of the auction to potential applicants and bidders.

Process Guidance for Potential Applicants and Bidders in the Auction

The mmWave award licences will only authorise use of relevant frequency bands in designated areas within the UK, which we refer to as “High Density Areas”. This booklet sets out the areas in which award winners will be authorised to use the spectrum they are awarded.

mmWave Spectrum Access Licences - High Density Areas

Notices relating to making regulations

This document provides notice of our final draft of the regulations for indicative purposes, in substantially the form which we intend to make and submit for registration and publication.

When enacted these regulations will give effect to the decisions set out in our auction design decision documents.

Statement on the final draft Regulations for the mmWave spectrum auction

Annex 1 Final Draft Wireless Telegraphy Licence Award Regulations 2025

This consultation provides notice of, and invites stakeholders’ views on, Ofcom’s proposals to make regulations for the award by auction of radio spectrum licences in the 26 GHz and 40 GHz bands.

Consultation: Proposals to make a Limitation Order and amend the Mobile Trading Regulations

Annex 6 – Draft Wireless Telegraphy Mobile Spectrum Trading Amendment Regulations 2024

Annex 5 – Draft Wireless Telegraphy Limitation of Number of Licences Order 2024

Updates and clarifications

Below are the coordination procedures with which holders of mmWave high density area licences will be required to comply.

Revised draft coordination procedures for mmWave high density area licensees

mmWave coordination shapefiles

In our September 2023 Statement (PDF, 2.8 MB) (paragraph 2.19), we set out our provisional decision to protect the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (the “STFC’s”) radioastronomy site in Cambridge by requiring all award winners of 40 GHz spectrum to comply with a spectrum quality benchmark (“SQB”) limit within 50km of the radioastronomy site.

On 9 April 2024, having considered representations from the STFC, we decided to modify the grant of Recognised Spectrum Access (“RSA”) held by the STFC, which recognises the use of certain frequencies, including in the 42.5-43.5 GHz band. The modification implements the provisional decision set out in our September 2023 Statement, by replacing the “Exclusion zone” in the 42.5-43.5 GHz frequency range with a “Coordination zone” associated with a SQB limit of ‑207 dBW/500 kHz.

This modification will take effect from 1 May 2024. The exclusion zone around the Cambridge radio astronomy site set out in the Spectrum Access 40 GHz licence (PDF, 243.2 KB) held by UK Broadband Limited will continue to apply until the revocation of this licence takes effect (on 1 June 2028).

We note that during the process of modifying the grant of RSA, the STFC brought to our attention that the height of the radioastronomy site would need to be taken into account in coordination with other spectrum users. We therefore intend to add the height of the radio telescope at the Cambridge radioastronomy site to the relevant coordination procedures, which we published in draft form in September 2023.

Coordination of award winners and incumbent users of mmWave spectrum in high density areas.

In Section 4 of our September 2023 statement (PDF, 2.8 MB), we explained that there would be a period during which award winners and incumbent fixed links will both be authorised to use mmWave spectrum in high density areas. This period (the “revocation period”) will last until: (i) 1 January 2030 (at the latest) in the 40.50-40.75 GHz and 42.00-42.25 GHz bands; (ii) 1 June 2028 in the 40.75-42.00 GHz and 42.25-43.5 GHz bands; and (iii) 31 December 2028 in the 25.1 GHz-26.5 GHz band.

At paragraphs 4.60-4.70, we set out our decisions on how we would coordinate award winners with incumbent fixed links during the revocation period. In particular:

in the 25.1 GHz-26.5 GHz band, award winners will be required to consult a map showing coordination zones around incumbent fixed links, to check whether the area in which they want to deploy any medium power base station falls within a coordination zone. If it does, award winners will be required to submit coordination requests to Ofcom before deploying;
in the 40.50-40.75 GHz and 42.00-42.25 GHz bands, award winners will be required to submit coordination requests to Ofcom before deploying any medium or low power base station; and
in the 40.75-42.00 GHz and 42.25-43.5 GHz bands, award winners will be required to submit coordination requests to Ofcom before deploying any medium power base station.

We now clarify that we would normally consider any such request for coordination in line with our approach for coordinating new Shared Access licensees with incumbent fixed links. In particular, we would normally apply a minimum separation distance of 200m from any fixed link station and also carry out detailed technical assignment (see paragraphs 4.30-4.31 of the September 2023 Statement (PDF, 2.8 MB)).

We also clarify that, in line with our standard approach to coordination to protect fixed links (OfW 446 (PDF, 1.4 MB), paras. 2.1 and 2.5), we will apply this minimum separation distance when coordinating new deployments which are co-channel with a fixed link receiver or close in frequency to a fixed link receiver (i.e., within a frequency separation of 2.5 times the bandwidth of the fixed link receiver or less).

As set out in the sample award licence (PDF, 439.8 KB) that we published in draft form (Sch. 1, para. 9), we may review our coordination procedures from time to time.

In Section 7 of our September 2023 statement (PDF, 2.8 MB) (paragraph 7.34), we set out our decision to impose an antenna pointing restriction“in all mmWave award licences and Shared Access licences”.For the avoidance of doubt, as shown in the sample licences (PDF, 439.8 KB) that we published in draft form (see the “Transmitter and antenna restrictions” condition), this restriction will not apply to frequencies in the range 40.5-42.5 GHz.

Ofcom has decided to revoke approximately 550 Point-to-Point Fixed Link licences in the 24.5–26.5 GHz frequency range, which are likely to receive harmful interference from new users of the spectrum. The revocations will take effect on 31 December 2028.

Background

On 13 March 2023, we published a statement and consultation setting out our decision to begin the statutory process for clearing from the 26 GHz band all the fixed links which are likely to receive harmful interference from new mobile services in ‘high density’ areas (i.e., the UK’s largest towns and cities). We explained that we made that decision because we are making all the spectrum in the 26 GHz band (as well as the 40 GHz band) available for mobile technology, including 5G.

On 27 September 2023, we finalised the method for identifying the fixed links to be cleared and listed the Point-to-Point Fixed Link licences authorising these links in Annex 2 to the September 2023 Statement (PDF, 2.8 MB).

On 7 December 2023, after considering licensees’ representations, we completed the statutory process for revoking existing licences in the 24.5–26.5 GHz frequency range.

Point-to-Point Fixed Link licences are available in other bands

Information about the process for applying for new Point-to-Point Fixed Link licences is set out here.

We have published an update on revoking licences in the 40 GHz band.

Today we have published a revised version of our Statement and further consultation: Enabling mmWave for new uses (PDF, 3.6 MB) to correct the following error in section 10 (Coexistence and coordination). In Table 10.3, we had incorrectly stated that the antenna height AGL for low power (outdoor) base stations in the 26 GHz band was ‘user specified up to a maximum of 5m’. This has been corrected to ‘user specified up to a maximum of 10m’, aligning with the information provided in paragraph 10.34.

We have also published a revised version of our Annexes 16-18: Coexistence analysis (PDF, 3.4 MB) to correct the receiver location NGR values for 26 GHz links operating around high density areas in Annex 18 (Fixed links for revocation), which had become misaligned due to a formatting error.

Today we have republished our Annexes 5 to 9: supporting information (PDF, 3.9 MB) document to correct the following error in our illustrative auction procedures (Annex 9).

In box 6 ('Worked-up example of principal stage'), bidder A previously bid for more lots than were available in 26 GHz lower in round 1. We have corrected this, and altered further bids and round prices throughout the example to ensure it complies with the proposed auction rules.

Policy consultations and statements

Statement: Enabling mmWave for new uses – auction design

Enabling mmWave spectrum for new uses – auction design (PDF, 1.0 MB)

Decisions on the licence conditions which we will use in authorising this spectrum.

Main documents

September 2023 Statement: Enabling mmWave spectrum for new uses (PDF, 2.8 MB)

Annex 3: [Draft] Coordination procedures under the Spectrum Access High Density 26 GHz/40 GHz licences (PDF, 477.2 KB)

Annexes 4-5: Draft licences (PDF, 439.8 KB)

Annexes 6-9: Draft Interface Requirements (PDF, 326.5 KB)

Annex 10: High Density Areas (PDF, 13.2 MB)

Supporting documents

Cost model (statement) (XLSM, 410.5 KB)

Final high density area shapefiles (ZIP, 20.1 KB)

Ofcom is responsible for managing the UK’s radio spectrum, the range of radio frequencies essential for all wireless communications.

We have decided to make over 6 GHz of millimetre wave (mmWave) spectrum available across the 26 GHz (24.25-27.5 GHz) and 40 GHz (40.5 GHz-43.5 GHz) bands for mobile technology, including 5G. This spectrum has the potential to deliver significant benefits by enabling large increases in wireless data capacity and speeds, and we want to provide industry with certainty of access to this spectrum to enable timely investment and innovation.

We are taking a proactive approach to making mmWave spectrum available, to enable investment in faster, better quality services and innovation. We consider that making the 26 GHz and 40 GHz bands available for new uses at the same time will maximise this spectrum’s potential to benefit for people and businesses.

In our statement, we set out how we will allocate mmWave spectrum to best support new uses. We are also consulting on proposals for the design of the auction for citywide licences, the licence conditions for citywide and local mmWave licences and how we will coordinate users of this spectrum.