The government of Japan is considering to auction mmWave spectrum
Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) is aiming to launch a 5G spectrum auction in early 2026, Japanese newspaper Nikkei reported.
This would be the first time that the Japanese government has used an auction to award frequencies, as the MIC usually allocated spectrum to local mobile operators for free.
The newspaper said that instead of a traditional auction where the authorities take into account the price offered by mobile operators, the auction will take into account several factors, such as technology and business plans.
Nikkei also noted that the format of the auction has not yet been determined. However, the ministry is analyzing the possibility of including millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies in future auction processes.
According to MIC, mmWave frequencies can be used to improve mobile coverage in stadiums and other large venues, as well as for the provision of residential broadband services via fixed wireless access (FWA).
“A working group will soon be established with the four major cell phone operators, equipment manufacturers, and experts to begin discussions on auction conditions and other issues,” the report stated.
Japanese operators are NTT Docomo, which is a subsidiary of NTT Corporation; KDDI Corporation, which operates under the au brand; SoftBank and Rakuten Mobile.
Japan was one of the first countries to launch 5G technology. According to a previous GSMA report, 5G connections will account for 68% of total mobile connections in Japan by 2025, up from 12% in 2021.
The Japanese government had set the target of achieving 98% 5G population coverage nationwide by the end of the first quarter of 2024. Japan was planning to start assigning frequencies in the 2.3 GHz band by the end of 2023 and triple allocations across all compatible spectrum bands in 2025, according to previous reports.
Apart from boosting 5G technology the government of Japan is setting up a fund to foster research activities into future 6G communications systems, according to recent press reports.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications will earmark JPY 66.2 billion ($450 million) in the second supplementary budget for fiscal 2023 for the initial establishment of this special fund, according to the report.
The 6G fund will be administered by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology. It will aim to provide financial support for 6G research and development for a number of years.
Japanese companies NTT Docomo, NTT, NEC, Fujitsu and Finnish telecom equipment maker Nokia had previously announced plans to conduct experimental trials of new mobile communications technologies for the targeted commercial launch of as-yet-unstandardized 6G services by around 2030. Docomo and NTT said they will begin conducting indoor trials within the fiscal year ending in March 2023, while outdoor trials will begin in the following fiscal year.
In May, Japan’s Beyond 5G Promotion Consortium (B5GPC) and ATIS’ Next G Alliance have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate on future 6G wireless networks. The Japanese consortium had previously signed a similar 6G cooperation agreement with Europe’s 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association.
