Report Shows U.S. Needs Licensed Mid-Band Spectrum to Support 5G

A June 2020 report by research firm Analysys Mason titled "Comparison of Total Mobile Spectrum in Different Markets" shows the pressing need in the U.S. for more mid-band spectrum to support commercial 5G services. The report assesses total mobile spectrum availability in different countries for low mid and high bands and compares them to the U.S. Key report findings include the following: 

• Low Band: "Several countries are planning to make further licensed low-band spectrum available: future low-band assignments for these countries, on average, will total 90MHz. This means that commercial access to the 1.3GHz and 1.7GHz bands will be an important element of continued US low-band leadership."

• Mid Band: "In a key range of global 5G spectrum (3.3–3.6GHz), the US today has no licensed spectrum available, while other benchmark countries that have made these airwaves available average nearly 200MHz. However, the US would become one of the leading benchmark countries if it made 250MHz (or more) of spectrum available in the lower 3GHz band, as some have proposed, and the FCC and NTIA are exploring with commercial providers." (emphasis added)

• High Band: "The US currently leads the world in terms of the amount of licensed high-band spectrum, though China may catch up. In the next few years, China could make 8250MHz of licensed high-band spectrum available, just below the 8300MHz the US could make available. 

These findings reveal the policy imperative of repurposing lower 3 GHz band spectrum for commercial use. It is reported that federal government agencies are the primary users for all spectrum from 3.1-3.55 GHz. Other nations have recognized the importance of licensing that spectrum for 5G services in their territories and the U.S. needs to catch up. No one should expect the relocation of federal agencies in the lower 3 GHz band will be an easy or quick task. Efforts to make this mid-band spectrum available need to be prioritized and fast-tracked now. 

Importantly, clearing spectrum for licensed commercial use in the lower 3 GHz band will be critical. Recent initiatives to allocate spectrum for unlicensed use are sufficient and need not be expanded at the expense of licensed use. As Analsys Mason explains, the U.S. has now allocated significant spectrum resources to unlicensed usage. With respect to mid-band spectrum, the report observes: "The recent US addition of 1200MHz of unlicensed spectrum in the 6GHz band is 2.4 times more than the average amount of additional unlicensed mid-band spectrum other countries are considering making available in the next few years." And regarding mid/high band spectrum in the U.S., the report states: "policymakers have made around three times as much unlicensed spectrum as licensed spectrum available." 

It is generally recognized that a mix of unlicensed spectrum and licensed spectrum is needed to support next generation wireless networks. Critical to a healthy mix – and to U.S. competitiveness in the global 5G race – is a supply of licensed commercial spectrum in the lower 3 GHz band.  

U.S. Needs More Mid-Band Spectrum

CTIA has released a new report by Analysys Mason that demonstrates that the U.S. needs to make available more mid-band spectrum as quickly as possible if we are not going to fall behind other countries in the race for 5G leadership. The new report offers further support for what Free State Foundation scholars have been saying for many months.

First, it should be acknowledged that FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's "5G Fast Plan," which includes freeing up spectrum, already has played a very constructive role and will continue to do so with regard to speeding 5G deployment. If you haven't seen it already, I urge you to watch the video of Chairman Pai's remarks at the Free State Foundation's Twelfth Annual Telecom Policy Conference on March 10.

Nevertheless, the Analysys Mason report shows the case for making more mid-band spectrum available for licensed use remains pressing. Here are some key Analysys Mason findings.

• On average, other countries will have 5X more licensed mid-band than the U.S. by end of year.
• On average, other countries will have 5X more licensed mid-band than the U.S. by end of year.
• 310 MHz is the amount of mid-band spectrum needed to close the gap.

We shouldn't need a wake-up call, and I am cautious about invoking the COVID-19 pandemic gratuitously or wantonly as a basis for public policy actions. But I do think there is widespread agreement that the current coronavirus crisis has made all Americans more aware of the importance to the country's general welfare and security of having in place robust, ubiquitous broadcast networks. And there should be widespread agreement as well that the availability -- in a timely fashion -- of more mid-band licensed spectrum has an important role to play.