At the recent M360 Doha roundtable hosted by the GSMA Spectrum team, policymakers, regulators, and operators convened to discuss spectrum policies' critical role in advancing 5G. The discussion highlighted how regions like the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have leveraged proactive spectrum management and innovative strategies to lead in 5G deployment while also addressing the challenges faced by other markets in the Middle East and North Africa region. Key priorities for advancing 5G emerged from the discussion:
- Harmonized cross-border spectrum policies. Aligning spectrum policies across regions can reduce interference and foster seamless connectivity, a critical need for global and regional interoperability.
- Aligning spectrum pricing with the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Traditional spectrum auctions focusing on upfront fees often strain operators financially, limiting infrastructure investments. Setting fair spectrum pricing based on TCO ensures long-term sustainability.
- Spectrum refarming to unlock 4G/5G. Repurposing spectrum from legacy networks like 2G and 3G is essential to optimize spectrum use for advanced technologies. Forward-thinking policies in this area are enabling faster transitions to 5G.
This roundtable also aligns with findings from Opensignal’s recent reports on spectrum strategies across Asia-Pacific (APAC), Latin America (LATAM), and Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and a deep-dive into India and Brazil, which uncover common themes as well as region-specific approaches to 5G growth. From ensuring future spectrum allocation visibility to managing the transition from legacy networks, these insights showcase the shared challenges and diverse solutions shaping the global 5G landscape.
MENA: GCC Leads, others are catching up
The GCC states have emerged as global leaders in 5G, due to strategic spectrum policies and forward-thinking regulation:
Proactive spectrum allocation: GCC regulators were early adopters of the 3.5GHz band, with many operators deploying at least 100MHz of spectrum for 5G. Qatar’s allocation of an additional 1GHz of spectrum during the FIFA World Cup 2022 demonstrates the importance of forward planning to handle surging demand.
Phasing out legacy networks: Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman are retiring 2G and 3G networks, freeing up spectrum for 5G and future technologies.
Impressive speed uplifts: GCC nations have seen significant speed improvements, with Kuwait achieving an 8.2x uplift from 4G to 5G, followed by Qatar at 7.5x.
However, challenges remain in non-GCC markets, where limited spectrum allocation and legacy infrastructure hinder progress. These countries need harmonized policies, affordable devices, and stakeholder collaboration to bridge the digital divide.
APAC: A region of diversity
APAC’s spectrum landscape reflects the region’s vast diversity. Leading markets like South Korea set benchmarks for 5G adoption, while others, like Laos and Myanmar, remain in the early stages.
Spectrum drives speeds: South Korea focuses on the 3.5GHz band delivering some of the fastest 5G speeds globally.
Expanding rural coverage: Sub-1GHz bands are being used to extend 5G connectivity to rural areas, bridging digital divides across nations.
Legacy network refarming: Australia and Singapore are repurposing 850MHz and 900MHz bands for 4G and 5G, leading the way in efficient spectrum use.
India’s rollout highlights how strategic spectrum utilization, as part of a digital strategy prioritized by the government and enabled by sector investment, can overcome challenges like significant infrastructure requirements. For example, Jio deployed 5G Standalone Access services, using a dedicated network slice to provide 5G FWA services, which helps manage network congestion, even though the average AirFiber user consumes around 400GB of data per month. This will help in the longer term, as the operator aims to reach 100 million connected premises in India with its FWA offering.
LATAM: Tapping into the “Golden Band”
The 3.5GHz band, dubbed as the “golden band” for 5G, dominates deployments in LATAM, offering a balance of speed, capacity, and coverage.
- 3.5GHz spectrum drives speed advantages. In LATAM, 3.5GHz is the most deployed band for 5G. Out of the analyzed countries, only Puerto Rico does not make use of this band, instead favoring lower bands for broader coverage in 5G at the expense of speeds.
- Correlation between spectrum bandwidth and speed: Brazil leads LATAM in 5G speeds, with 40% of connections using over 100MHz bandwidth, while Puerto Rico prioritizes broader coverage with lower bands.
- 5G uplift over 4G: Colombia’s 5G speeds are 11x faster than 4G, showing how 5G alleviates congestion and enhances performance.
Geographical challenges increase infrastructure costs and delay deployment. Additionally, LATAM markets allocate less spectrum to mobile services than OECD averages, limiting their ability to meet rising data demands.
Global lessons in spectrum management
Across regions, several universal lessons emerge about spectrum management and its role in advancing 5G:
The strategic role of the 3.5GHz band: This spectrum remains the cornerstone of 5G, balancing speed, capacity, and coverage.
Spectrum refarming is essential: Repurposing legacy bands improves efficiency and prepares markets for next-generation networks, noting that decisions on switching off legacy bands should be aligned with the sector’s roadmaps.
Balancing coverage and speed: Low bands extend rural coverage, while mid and high bands enable higher speeds and greater capacity in urban areas.
Regulatory support drives success: Proactive and predictable policies, technology-neutral and long-term licenses, and affordable pricing models for telecoms services and devices foster investment, innovation and growth.
Collaboration is key: Policymakers, regulators, and operators must work together to address infrastructure gaps, ensure harmonized spectrum policies, and a sustainable investment regulatory framework to enable connectivity and digital socio-economic objectives.
Looking Ahead: Preparing for the future
While 5G adoption continues to expand, regions are already laying the groundwork for 6G networks, which will require 200MHz-wide channels and new spectrum bands like 6GHz and 7-8GHz. Effective spectrum policies and forward-thinking planning will be critical to sustaining innovation.
Explore Opensignal’s reports on spectrum
For more in-depth insights into regional spectrum strategies and developments, read Opensignal’s latest analyses:
3.5GHz spectrum: The Driving Force Behind 5G Experience in LATAM
From spectrum auctions to user experience: Canada’s 5G progress
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