Ofcom has today published proposals for upper 6 GHz spectrum to be made available and shared between mobile and Wi-Fi services. The UK is spearheading efforts to explore the sharing of upper 6 GHz by these two different technologies, which should bring benefits to the economy, and has also been promoting this approach internationally.
This new spectrum would provide a large increase in capacity for both mobile and Wi-Fi services, laying the foundations for future generations of data-hungry technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality, and AI.
In a boost for the economy, it would also help mobile and Wi-Fi providers to deliver improved services to more customers, especially where demand is greatest. It would support advanced Wi-Fi for homes, businesses and industry, and enable mobile networks to better serve their customers, particularly in the most crowded places like high streets or stadiums.
Sharing the band should provide greater overall benefits to the UK, helping both services cope with the increase in traffic volumes, and create further opportunities for innovation, growth and investment.
Under the proposals, mobile and Wi-Fi technology would need to integrate better in the future, for example with mechanisms where Wi-Fi would ‘sense’ the presence of a mobile network and react, leading to better services overall.
Proposals
For the upper part of the band (6425-7125 MHz), we propose that the spectrum be shared between providers of commercial mobile and Wi-Fi services. We would do this in two phases:
Phase 1: allow low power indoor Wi-Fi across the whole of the Upper 6 GHz band as quickly as possible, ideally before the end of 2025.
Phase 2: also authorise mobile to use the band, linked to the outcome of discussions at a European level on harmonising how the band is used, which we expect to finish by 2027.
European harmonisation would see sharing of 6 GHz by mobile and Wi-Fi across the continent, and will help manufacturers, operators, and users have the confidence to invest in equipment and services for the band, which we are keen to encourage.
Separately, in the lower part of the 6 GHz band (5925-6425 MHz), we are also proposing to allow outdoor and higher power Wi-Fi to operate under the control of an automated database to protect other users from interference. At present, Wi-Fi in this band is limited to low power indoor use only.
This change would help bring advanced, high-quality Wi-Fi to university campuses, hospitals, railway stations, industrial complexes and sports stadiums, as well as typical broadband services to rural customers.
We are consulting on our proposals and welcome feedback by 8 May 2025.