Mobile and wireless broadband above 5 GHz

10 GHz, 28 GHz, 32 GHz and 40 GHz

In November 2000, the Radiocommunications Agency auctioned several 28 GHz Broadband Fixed Wireless Access licences. It offered licence packages of 2 x 112 MHz in each of 11 English regions, plus Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

In 2008, Ofcom auctioned spectrum suitable for Broadband Wireless Access in four frequency bands:

1. 10 GHz band: 10.125-10.225 GHz paired with 10.475-10.575 GHz;
2. 28 GHz bands: 27.8285-28.4445 GHz paired with 28.8365-29.4525 GHz;
3. 32 GHz band: 31.815-33.383 GHz; and
4. 40 GHz band: 40.5-43.5 GHz.

This included the remaining unsold spectrum packages from the previous 28 GHz award, which have since been liberalised (PDF, 510.3 KB) in order to align their operating and technical conditions with those from the 2008 award.

Spectrum Access: Extremely High Frequency

Spectrum Access: EHF Licences enable access to one of four bands on a non-protection and non-interference basis, with use of multiple devices permitted.  Each licence grants access across the UK, on a 'one band per licence' basis, to any one of the bands:

• 57-71GHz
• 116-122 GHz
• 174.8-182 GHz
• 185-190 GHz

Licences

The licences linked from this page are the versions current as at 17 April 2024.

Should you need to rely on the current terms of any licence, please contact either Ofcom or the licensee to check whether that licence may have subsequently been superseded by a later version.

On 30 May 2023, Ofcom published an update on revoking licences in the 40 GHz band. This confirmed that the authorisations to use 40 GHz spectrum are revoked with effect from 1 June 2028.

Frequency allocations: Mobile and wireless broadband above 5GHz - June 2024 (PDF, 85.89 KB)

Spectrum Access 28 GHz licences, frequencies and regions (PDF, 136.7 KB)