The media and communications department of the Luxembourg Institute for Regulation (Institut luxembourgeois de régulation - ILR) has launched a public consultation on the use of the 5G 26 GHz frequency band.
The 5G strategy for Luxembourg, published in 2018, provides that the 26 GHz band will be allocated according to the roadmap established at the European level. The rights to use the 700 MHz and 3,600 MHz bands were granted in August 2020 following an auction.
The ILR confirmed that it is already exploring the interests and needs of all the players concerned for future use of the 26 GHz frequency band. Like the 700 MHz and 3,600 MHz bands, this band is also one of the pioneering frequency bands for 5G. A similar frequency band (28 GHz) is already used in the United States for the deployment of 5G. The consultation is therefore intended to detect the needs, applications or possible constraints of the deployment of 26 GHz in Europe.
As the physical properties of the 26 GHz band do not cover a large area, but offer very high communication speeds, very short latency times and the simultaneous connectivity of a very large number of terminals, the 26 GHz band is intended to arouse the interest of traditional mobile operators, industries (often called "verticals'" in 5G) and communities (towns and cities) in search of innovative connectivity solutions.
In order to allow all these players simultaneous access without interference to the radioelectric spectrum in the 26 GHz band, new spectrum allocation models could be considered. The consultation will also cover these new technical and regulatory procedures to be implemented when allocating this new frequency band. The objective of this consultation is therefore not to allocate rights of use, which will be done at a later stage.
The consultation is accessible to all interested parties including the general public on the website of the ILR's radio frequencies service. Contributions must be submitted by 8 December 2020.
