The coming 6G era will require as much as three times the mid-band spectrum that is typically available today, according to a comprehensive report by the GSMA.
GSMA’s Vision 2040 report suggested what would happen if the need for more midband is not addressed. It predicted that, if midband doesn’t grow, more than half the urban population will be capacity-constrained by 2030.
Urban areas will require 2 GHz to 3 GHz of mid-band spectrum in the 2035-to-2040 timeframe. Higher-demand countries will need 2.5 GHz to 4 GHz.
The report says that there will be 2.1 billion 6G connections by 2035. Dense urban areas will need nine times greater connection than less dense urban areas. The densest urban areas will require 650 times more than rural areas.
“The [United States] is expected to be one of the first to deploy 6G, which is expected to drive market penetration of 6G in North America to over 60% by 2035,” the report said. “As such, the region has a mid-band spectrum-needs requirement in the 2035–2040 period of 2.7–3.8 GHz.”
Of course, nobody can predict with any accuracy what pace development will take. The GSMA 6G report, therefore, offered three growth paths:
- Low growth will require 80 Gb per connections per month in 2030, 160 Gb per connection per month in 2035, and 240 Gb per connection per month in 2040.
- Medium growth: 80 Gb per connection per month in 2030, 200 Gb per connection per month in 2035, and 405 Gb per connection per month in 2040.
- High growth: 80 Gb per connection per month in 2030, 235 Gb per connection month in 2035, and 575 Gb per connection per month in 2040.
The report found that North America will need almost 4,000 MHz of spectrum by 2040. That is more than any other region in the world and just a little less than the midband needed by the top half of the global population.
“This study shows that the 6G era will require three times more mid-band spectrum than is available today,” John Giusti, the Chief Regulatory Officer, for the GSMA, said in a press release.
“Satisfying these spectrum requirements will support robust and sustainable connectivity, deliver digital ambitions and help economies grow. I hope this report provides useful insights to governments as they strive to meet the connectivity needs of their citizens in the coming decade.”
6G is on the industry’s mind. In September, Verizon announced the Verizon 6G Innovation Forum. The goal is to identify use cases, devices and network technologies for the nascent standard. Partners in the initiative include Ericsson, Samsung Electronics, Nokia, Meta, and Qualcomm Technologies.
