GSMA estimates the industry will need up to 800 megahertz of additional spectrum by 2020
The use of additional “C-band” spectrum in the 3.4 GHz to 4.2 GHz bands for mobile broadband in London and Shenzhen alone will generate an additional $440 million of economic benefit while protecting the continued operation of incumbent services, according to a new report from the GSMA.
The study, “Use of C-Band Spectrum for Mobile Broadband in Cities: London and Shenzhen,” developed by Plum Consulting with analysis from the GSMA and Chinese vendor Huawei, focuses on the impact of mobile operations in the C-band in London and Shenzhen. The study was presented at the Global Mobile Broadband Forum in Hong Kong, which coincides with the start of the World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 in Geneva. Determining future spectrum allocations for mobile broadband and C-band spectrum, which is under consideration at the conference, will be key to meeting future data demand, according to the study.
The report highlights an urgent need for regulators across the globe to address the allocation of spectrum required to meet the huge growth in mobile data traffic, especially in densely populated urban areas. C-band spectrum can provide large contiguous channels that support the delivery of high-data-rate services such as video.
Over the next 15 years, Plum expects average annual growth in mobile data traffic in London to be 35%, and is expected to grow at a similar rate in Shenzhen up to 2030.
“Administrations around the world should make available larger amounts of contiguous spectrum to meet the demand for high-speed connectivity in more densely populated environments. C-Band discussions during the WRC-15 offer a unique opportunity, which should not be missed,” said David Wang, president of Huawei’s wireless networks. “This joint report highlights the substantial social and economic benefits associated with mobile broadband use of the C-Band on a shared basis with existing services.”
Meanwhile, Alasdair Grant, GSMA’s head of Asia, said the C-band spectrum will better enable operators to provide consumers with high-speed mobile broadband in city centers. “We urge governments to seize the opportunity at WRC-15 and allocate this critical spectrum to safeguard the future of the mobile Internet and deliver its undoubted benefits to citizens worldwide.”
During a keynote session at the Global Mobile Broadband Forum, Alex Sinclair, GSMA’s acting general director and CTO, said that operators are investing very heavily in solutions to meet the increase in traffic demand. However, he said that the demand for data is so high that additional spectrum is vital for the industry. The GSMA predicts that between 600 megahertz and 800 megahertz of additional spectrum will be needed by 2020.
