The UK Has Identified Three Initial 5G Deployments

Recently, Ofcom, a British telecoms regulator, has released a report on the latest progress in the distribution of 5G services,and that it supports the 26 GHz band as a "unified global priority band".

Ofcom said it has been working closely with other European regulators to identify three initial bands of 5G services deployed in Europe: 700 MHz, 3.4 GHz~3.8 GHz and a 26 GHz band.

The regulator intends to clear the spectrum currently used by Corporation for Television Broadcasts, program production and special events (PMSE) by 2020. Although this work is under way, but Ofcom plans to conduct 700 MHz spectrum license auction between 2018~2019.

Ofcom said: "we will seek to cover the obligations as one of the conditions for using the spectrum. We will negotiate for this new obligation, based on certain conditions for spectrum licensing."

Ofcom plans to auction a large spectrum of 3.4 GHz~3.6 GHz later this year. Ofcom as early as December 2016 has completed a discussion on the 3.6 GHz~3.8 GHz spectrum for mobile services. Ofcom is currently reviewing the industry's response, and will release the latest developments in the first half of 2017.

Ofcom said it is also considering 32 GHz, 40 GHz and 66 GHz~71 GHz band can also be used in the future for 5G.

Ofcom is particularly excited and excited about the 26 GHz band. "This band has obvious advantages over other millimeter wave (mmWave) bands." ITU radio rules have already allocated 26 GHz for mobile services in many frequency bands.

Ofcom said it has begun drafting a proposal to allocate 26 GHz band spectrum in the UK for mobile services, and plans to conduct a discussion in the first half of this year.