- We already have methods to share spectrum in 5G, at least in some regions of the globe
- Spectrum sharing will be a key part of 6G, simply because there are not enough new big blocks of spectrum to launch fresh services in
- We need to be smart in how we deploy 6G in a world that requires spectrum for the new cellular standard, but won't have much radio frequency to spare
Beyond applications like extended reality or the use of ultra-high terahertz (THz) radio frequencies, spectrum sharing will be a (possibly undersung) aspect of the forthcoming 6G cellular standard.
As the director of Disruptive Analysis Dean Bubley said recently in a LinkedIn comment: “People are having more sensible discussions about spectrum sharing, with a realization that there’s not going be large slabs of new exclusive frequencies.”
Some of this discussion is currently at the telecom regulatory body level, which makes sense because the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and 3GPP will make most of the running in laying down what 6G will be.
Yes, 6G is still very much in the standardization phase at the moment. The 3GPP will finalize its first 6G specification sometime in 2029 as Release 21. The ITU is tracking the development of the next generation of cellular under the IMT-2030 framework.
Share and share alike
We already have methods to share spectrum in 5G, at least in some regions of the globe. In the United States, CBRS has really driven the private network craze among many enterprises. The GSA has noted that CBRS was both the most widely used and fastest growing band globally for private mobile network deployments.
Spectrum sharing will be a key part of 6G, simply because there are not enough new big blocks of spectrum to launch fresh services in. We can — possibly — auction off some 600 MHz spectrum in the U.S. as part of the "One Big Beautiful Bill", but that’s far from certain yet.
Meanwhile in Europe, mobile network operators and Wi-Fi-focused companies are tussling over access to the upper 6 GHz band (6425 - 7125 MHz) because operators will want to have the spectrum to launch 6G services, but the decision to open up spectrum has not yet been made.
Nonetheless, global operators, as well as enterprises, will need to open up spectrum that had been being used for 4G LTE, as well as old 2G and 3G frequencies, in order to get to 6G.
There is also already a push for a 6G private networking sharing native protocol so that people could tell if there are other users on adjacent bands that are not serving the same use case.
This protocol may, in fact, prove to be useful for other users than just the enterprises we typically see using private networks as 6G grows. For example, operators may end up using some form of the 6G protocol in order to avoid other nearby frequencies from other carriers. Whatever happens, we will need to be smart in how we deploy 6G in a world that requires spectrum for the new cellular standard, but won't have much radio frequency to spare.
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