The Long Road to 6G Spectrum

Spectrum is arguably the hottest topic in 6G today. It seems that every other month, a new paper, webinar, seminar, or discussion is dedicated to this subject. If you follow our blog, you will have seen plenty of posts covering various aspects of this evolving landscape.

Securing spectrum for 6G is a decade-long journey that is already well underway. Frequencies between 6 GHz and 15 GHz, referred to as the upper mid-band, have been identified as prime candidates for 6G deployment. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)’s World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23) has initiated studies to identify specific bands within this range for both 5G Advanced and 6G. One of the most impactful agenda items for WRC-27 involves evaluating several frequency bands, including 4.4–4.8 GHz, 7.125–8.4 GHz, and 14.8–15.35 GHz, for potential International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) use. Additionally, many countries worldwide are planning to deploy IMT services (the ITU-R term for mobile services) in the upper 6 GHz band (6.425–7.125 GHz).

Beyond the upper mid-band, 6G will utilise all spectrum ranges — low, mid, and high — enhancing spectral efficiency in existing bands while pioneering new innovations to unlock additional spectrum for future applications.

Qualcomm recently participated in an RCR Wireless webinar on 6G spectrum, highlighting their leadership in foundational air interface research. Their efforts aim to transform wireless efficiency, significantly improving capacity and coverage. These advancements will be instrumental in unlocking new and exciting use cases for 6G and beyond.

For those interested, the webinar slides are available here, and the video is embedded below:

Qualcomm also has a supporting post here.

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