Twelve of Europe's largest telecom operators have called on regulators to allocate the entire upper 6GHz frequency band for mobile services, warning that delays could leave the region lagging behind the United States and China in the global race toward future 6G deployment.
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6GHz Spectrum for 5G and 6G Networks
In a letter seen by Reuters, companies including Vodafone (UK), Deutsche Telekom (Germany), Orange (France), and TIM (Italy) stressed the strategic importance of the upper 6GHz band—one of the few remaining large blocks of mid-band spectrum available. This spectrum is considered ideal for future mobile networks, as it offers a balance of high data capacity and broad coverage.
The telecom firms warned that without access to the full 6GHz band, Europe's mobile networks would face capacity shortfalls, jeopardising both current 5G performance and the future rollout of 6G. Most European nations have already auctioned airwaves in the 3.4–3.8 GHz range for initial 5G deployments.
"Without the full availability of the upper 6GHz for mobile networks, any future 6G services in this band would be significantly curtailed and ultimately jeopardise Europe's opportunity to play a leading role in 6G deployment," the operators stated, according to the report.
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Europe Risks Falling Behind the US
Their appeal comes as Europe's Radio Spectrum Policy Group prepares to issue a draft opinion in June, which will include recommendations to the European Commission on how to allocate the upper portion of the 6GHz band.
The United States opened the band for Wi-Fi use in 2020, and China designated it for 5G and 6G services in 2023. In contrast, the European Union has yet to finalise its stance on repurposing these frequencies.
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US Technology Interests
The letter also expressed concern over US technology interests pushing for continued Wi-Fi use in the band, warning that this could undermine Europe's long-term competitiveness in mobile technologies.
"If the decision to make the upper 6GHz band available to European mobile operators is delayed, while US technology interests are permitted to secure further 6GHz capacity, Europe's competitiveness would be threatened," the operators reportedly said. "We remain concerned that access to upper 6GHz band is still sought for Wi-Fi by US stakeholders."
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With 6G expected to launch commercially in the 2030s, the operators are urging swift regulatory action to secure the spectrum foundation for next-generation networks.
