Mobile network operators are urging governments and regulators to open up the upper 6GHz spectrum for mobile services as growing data consumption puts increasing pressure on network capacity and the industry prepares for next-generation connectivity.

The upper 6GHz band, which spans 6.425GHz to 7.125GHz, is now supported for mobile use by countries representing more than 80 per cent of the global population, according to the Global System for Mobile Communications Association.

The band was identified for International Mobile Telecommunications at the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference, establishing a common framework for its deployment in mobile networks across different markets.

The International Telecommunication Union said WRC-23 identified the 6.425–7.125GHz range for International Mobile Telecommunications in various countries and regions, supporting technologies including 4G, 5G and future 6G services.

The GSMA said more than 60 mobile operators, device manufacturers, chipset makers and network equipment providers had backed its call for governments to include the full upper 6GHz band in national spectrum plans and make it available to full-power mobile networks.

“The message from the mobile ecosystem is clear: we are ready to put the upper 6GHz spectrum to work for consumers and businesses around the world,” Badrinath said.

The upper 6GHz band is considered valuable because it can provide additional mid-band capacity in urban areas without requiring operators to build an entirely new network infrastructure.

The GSMA said the 700MHz of spectrum available in the band could support wider channels for 5G-Advanced, helping mobile operators meet rising data demand and improve network capacity.

The association said the band could support channel widths of between 200MHz and 400MHz, which it expects to become increasingly important as mobile networks evolve towards 6G.

The push comes as mobile operators contend with continued growth in data traffic, driven by increasingly data-intensive services such as artificial intelligence, extended reality and video applications.

The GSMA estimates that mobile networks could require an average of 2GHz to 2.5GHz of mid-band spectrum between 2035 and 2040 to meet demand in densely populated areas. In countries with higher demand, the requirement could rise to between 2.4GHz and 3.3GHz.

The industry body has also warned that cities accounting for more than half of the world’s urban population could face network capacity constraints by 2030 if the amount of mid-band spectrum available to mobile operators remains at current levels.

GSMA Director General, Vivek Badrinath, said the upper 6GHz band could provide a pathway for the transition from 5G-Advanced to 6G, but stressed that operators need predictable spectrum policies to support long-term investment.

“Timely, pro-investment spectrum decisions are needed to give operators the certainty to invest,” he said.

According to the GSMA, the first assignments of upper 6GHz spectrum have already been completed, with further allocations expected across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas as demand develops in individual markets.

The GSMA is calling on governments and regulators to include the full upper 6GHz band in long-term spectrum plans and make it available for licensed, full-power mobile services.