The use of 6GHz spectrum is hotly debated. The mainstream view is that it is most suitable for 5G.

At the 7th Asia-Pacific Spectrum Management Conference held from May 24 to 27, whether the 6GHz spectrum should be opened to 5G use once again became a hot topic. GSMA, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Radio Management Bureau, and representatives of multiple operators and manufacturers believe that with the rapid development of 5G and the growing application of data traffic, it is an inevitable trend to open the 6GHz spectrum to 5G use in the future. Some regions have stated that they will balance the potential demand for WiFi and 5G and allocate the 6GHz spectrum in a balanced manner.

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Why is the 6GHz spectrum so hot?

Why is the 6GHz spectrum so popular?

6GHz is a mid-frequency band in the spectrum, which can take into account the coverage advantages of low frequency and the capacity advantages of high frequency. Similar to the current mid-frequency C-Band spectrum, this band can achieve a good balance between coverage and capacity, and can realize the continuous allocation of large-bandwidth spectrum of hundreds of megahertz. Therefore, this band is of great significance for meeting the future demand for greater data traffic and solving the difficulties in the continuous allocation of large bandwidth of mid-frequency spectrum below 6GHz in some countries.

The 6GHz spectrum is crucial for the next development of 5G. As the pace of 5G commercialization accelerates, new 5G business applications have driven a rapid increase in mobile data usage. Enhanced mobile broadband services and fixed wireless broadband services, as well as industry applications such as smart cities and industrial manufacturing, have accelerated the surge in mobile data usage. The 6GHz spectrum can not only help mobile operators enhance the universal coverage of network connections and bridge the digital divide, but will also meet the high-speed transmission and large capacity requirements required by smart cities, smart transportation and smart factories. In the next decade, it is expected that 5G networks will require mid-frequency spectrum above 2GHz to fully unleash their potential. At present, with the rapid development of 5G construction and applications, the planning of new frequency bands has reached a point where it can not be delayed.

The use of 6GHz spectrum for 5G has become the mainstream voice in the industry

“5G will boost global GDP by $2.2 trillion. However, without sufficient 6 GHz licensed spectrum for 5G technology, the likelihood of achieving this growth will be significantly reduced,” said John Giusti, Chief Policy Officer, GSMA. “A clear and well-defined spectrum strategy is essential to ensure large-scale investment in critical infrastructure over the long term.”

The future success of 5G depends on the availability of cost-effective mid-band spectrum. About 90% of mobile operators around the world have deployed mid-band spectrum to achieve the best balance between 5G service coverage and capacity. Among the mid-band bands, 6GHz is particularly important. After WRC-19 designated 6GHz as a new agenda item for WRC-23 IMT, countries are exploring how to develop 6GHz into the best future mobile communication frequency band.

At the 7th Asia-Pacific Spectrum Management Conference, representatives from government operators, equipment manufacturers and industry organizations suggested that governments should allocate 6 GHz spectrum to 5G or its evolved networks as soon as possible.

Zeng Fansheng, director of the Radio Management Bureau of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said at the conference that 6GHz has good propagation loss characteristics and continuous large bandwidth spectrum, which can meet the capacity and coverage requirements at the same time and can meet the needs of different scenarios. It is the main potential candidate spectrum for future 5G networks. Regarding the future use of the 6GHz spectrum, China agrees to add the IMT (5G or 6G) use mark and promote the maturity of the industry chain through 6GHz 5G trials.

Thailand's NBTC recently set up a 6GHz panel and held a public hearing, planning to solicit industry opinions by the end of June. Pratompong Srinuan, a senior economist at the NBTC, said that Thailand is currently considering a balanced strategy of multiple options for 6GHz allocation.

James Cameron, a representative of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), said that Australia's mobile network is developing rapidly, 4G has reached 99% population coverage, and 5G population coverage will reach 75% by mid-2021. Currently, ACMA has launched a 6GHz consultation and will consider using 6GHz for WiFi and potential 5G needs.

Nokia representative Guillaume Mascot said that 6GHz is the key spectrum for the future deployment of 5G NR networks: mobile networks will need 1~2 GHz of new spectrum from 2025 to 2030. 6GHz has similar characteristics to 3.5GHz and can provide a continuous large bandwidth experience. It can also take into account coverage and capacity requirements. Therefore, 6GHz is a good match for 5G.

Xu Weizhong, Chief Strategy Officer of Huawei's Wireless Product Line, believes that 5G is accelerating the global reduction of coverage and experience gaps and shaping a digital society. Abundant spectrum resources are the key to the development of mobile networks. The 6GHz spectrum can balance capacity and coverage requirements, and its use in future mobile networks is essential to enhancing sustainable digital development.

The best use of 6GHz is 5G

From the current perspective, IMT is still the preferred network support for the future development of the digital economy. According to reports from China, South Korea and other countries, the average monthly mobile data traffic of each 5G user is 30-40GB, which is three times the average monthly data traffic of 4G users.

Guillaume Mascot of Nokia pointed out clearly in his speech at the 7th Asia-Pacific Spectrum Management Conference that data shows that the proportion of Wifi in the entire wireless network is gradually decreasing, and the experience of fixed-line networks in home bandwidth is also a bottleneck. In delay-sensitive scenarios, the spectrum efficiency of 5G is more than 40% higher than that of WiFi6.

At present, the construction and application of 5G networks are in full swing around the world. Taking China as an example, as of the end of March 2021, 819,000 5G base stations have been built, accounting for more than 70% of the world, covering all cities above the prefecture level in the country. In 5G applications, a series of new products such as ultra-high-definition video, AR/VR, and cloud games are constantly being launched. The combination of 5G+big data+artificial intelligence+AR/VR and other technologies is forming an emerging development model in game entertainment, event live broadcast, and residential services, and high-definition video services such as 5G+4K/8K and 5G+VR/AR/MR are accelerating their development.

The ITU predicts that the average monthly data traffic will reach 250GB in the next 5 to 10 years. According to research by Coleago Consulting, in order to ensure sustainable development in the next few years, Asia-Pacific countries and regions need at least 1GHz of additional mid-band spectrum. With these additional spectrum resources, mobile operators can expand 5G or 5.5G services and fully tap the potential of existing services.

Therefore, in the face of future high traffic demand and higher and more demands from vertical industries, 5G needs to evolve further, and for this purpose 3GPP has defined 5G-Advanced. Currently, mainstream operators have started the 5G evolution route, and the 5.5G era is coming.

The industry should work together to promote the 6GHz IMT industry and lay a solid foundation for the sustainable development of mobile communications in the next decade. Currently, WRC-19 and 3GPP NR have both set up special projects, and GSMA has also issued a statement calling on governments to allocate 6GHz for 5G use. It can be said that regions with good 5G development and the 5G industry have reached a consensus on the use of 6GHz for IMT. I believe that in the future, more countries and regions will recognize the importance of 6GHz in the development of 5G and reach a unanimous recognition.