Ofcom Publish 5 Year Plan for UK Fixed Wireless Spectrum

Fixed wireless networks are used across the UK for supplying broadband ISP connections to homes, providing backhaul capacity for mobile networks, distributing TV and so forth. As such Ofcom’s review of related services, which sets out their key decisions and a 5 year plan for the spectrum, is very important.

In the United Kingdom, the radio spectrum used to deploy fixed wireless links consists of a number of different bands, currently ranging from 1.3GHz to 86GHz. Ofcom’s plan has divided this into three main frequency ranges: 1. Bands below 20GHz, 2. Bands between 20-45 GHz and 3. Bands above 45GHz.

One of the biggest changes below is the regulator’s decision to facilitate new use cases in the 60GHz band and as a result they are “taking immediate steps to enable licence exempt access” to 14GHz of spectrum by making changes to the regulatory regime in the 57-66GHz range, as well as making new spectrum available at 66-71 GHz (this can apparently support new 5G use cases for mobile/portable equipment).

The full report runs to 108 pages, although mercifully Ofcom has also split out their key decisions by reach relevant band and we’ve pasted that table below. “The measures included in this plan will help ensure services can continue to have appropriate access to spectrum, and that suitable technical requirements are in place,” said Ofcom.