Deutsche Telekom, EE, Far EasTone and other mobile operators are using spectrum they already own to expand 5G capacity, making refarming an important alternative to relying entirely on new spectrum auctions and additional network sites.
Mobile operators are finding another source of 5G capacity in spectrum they already control.
In 2026, operators are progressively reallocating spectrum historically used for 3G and 4G to 5G as device adoption and mobile data traffic shift toward newer networks. The transition is particularly visible in the 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz bands, while operators are also reorganizing holdings at 700 MHz, 2300 MHz and 2600 MHz.
The strategy matters because spectrum refarming can increase network capacity without requiring operators to wait for another spectrum auction. Existing spectrum assets can become more productive as operators reduce the bandwidth dedicated to legacy technologies and allocate additional frequencies to 5G New Radio.
The scale of the opportunity is significant. The GSA MidBand Spectrum May 2026 report identified 465 operators investing in LTE or 5G at 1800 MHz, including 26 investing in 5G. Spectrum for LTE or 5G in this band had been awarded across 173 countries and territories, with networks deployed or being deployed in 166.
The shift indicates that the next stage of 5G capacity growth will involve making existing spectrum more productive, alongside deployment of additional mid-band spectrum and new radio infrastructure.
Deutsche Telekom Moves 2100 MHz Completely to 5G
Deutsche Telekom provides one of the clearest examples of the transition from spectrum sharing to dedicated 5G spectrum.
The German operator switched off Dynamic Spectrum Sharing in its 2100 MHz band in 2026. DSS had allowed LTE and 5G to dynamically share the same spectrum, helping Telekom expand 5G rapidly while maintaining LTE capacity.
The operator has now moved beyond that transition stage and is using its 2100 MHz spectrum entirely for 5G.
Deutsche Telekom said the change increases spectrum efficiency and provides additional 5G capacity while maintaining LTE service quality.
The refarming is part of a broader network capacity program. In April 2026, Telekom activated 81 new mobile sites and expanded capacity at 548 existing locations. Around 99 percent of German households can access its 5G network, while 4G household coverage remains close to 100 percent.
The operator ultimately plans to provide 1 Gbps download capacity per cell at 90 percent of its mobile sites as part of its Ultra Capacity network strategy.
Telekom’s September network update also said mobile data traffic is increasing by around 30 percent annually, demonstrating why operators need additional capacity even in markets where 5G coverage is already extensive.
EE Refarms 2100 MHz Across More Than 4,000 Sites
The UK’s EE is following a similar strategy as it expands its 5G Standalone network, marketed as 5G+.
EE said in April that it had reallocated 2100 MHz spectrum for 5G+ across more than 4,000 mobile sites.
Another 5,000 sites were scheduled for similar upgrades.
EE said the additional spectrum provides greater network capacity, stronger indoor coverage and improved 5G+ upload performance, particularly in high-demand urban areas.
The operator’s 5G+ network had expanded to more than 50 million people across over 610 towns and cities by April. Monthly customer usage of 5G+ had increased 54 percent during the previous six months.
The Deutsche Telekom and EE examples illustrate an important development: 2100 MHz is moving from being primarily a 3G and LTE resource toward becoming a dedicated 5G capacity layer.
Why 2100 MHz Is Emerging as a Major Refarming Band
The history of the 2100 MHz band makes it particularly suitable for refarming.
The spectrum was extensively deployed for 3G networks before operators began reallocating it to LTE. With 3G networks now being retired in many markets, operators have another opportunity to reorganize the band for 5G.
GSA counted 211 operators investing in LTE or 5G at 2100 MHz in its May 2026 spectrum assessment, including 43 investing in 5G.
Unlike 1800 MHz, which remains an important LTE capacity band for many operators, 2100 MHz may therefore provide some operators with an earlier opportunity to dedicate larger spectrum blocks to 5G.
The transition is unlikely to occur simultaneously across markets. Operators still need enough LTE capacity to support 4G-only devices, roaming traffic and other services.
Far EasTone Uses Refarming to Avoid Additional Spectrum
Taiwan’s Far EasTone provides another example of the economics behind spectrum optimization.
Far EasTone and Ericsson announced a three-year network modernization program in March 2026 covering RAN and core infrastructure.
A central element is spectrum refarming to improve spectral efficiency.
The companies said optimization of existing spectrum, particularly low-band frequencies, will allow Far EasTone to expand 5G coverage and increase network capability without acquiring additional spectrum.
The modernization is also expected to reduce radio-network energy consumption by up to 35 percent.
This demonstrates another benefit of refarming: spectrum optimization can be combined with newer radio equipment and software to improve capacity, coverage and energy efficiency simultaneously.
Algar Telecom Shows the Capacity Impact
Brazil’s Algar Telecom offers a measurable example of what spectrum reorganization can deliver.
The operator launched a project covering 80 cities across Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul in 2026.
Algar is reorganizing its 700 MHz and 3.5 GHz spectrum to reduce congestion and expand 5G capacity.
Uberlândia was the first city to receive the complete upgrade. Average 5G download speeds increased from approximately 500 Mbps to 750 Mbps — a gain of about 50 percent.
The project demonstrates how spectrum reorganization can translate directly into additional capacity and higher customer speeds without depending solely on adding new sites.
VodafoneThree Shows Another Spectrum-Efficiency Strategy
VodafoneThree in the UK illustrates a related but different strategy: spectrum pooling following network integration.
Spectrum sharing was implemented within weeks of the Vodafone-Three merger. Additional Vodafone 1800 MHz spectrum was deployed across nearly 15,000 legacy Three sites.
The change increased 4G speeds for more than 7 million customers by an average of 20 percent, with improvements reaching 40 percent in some areas.
5G population coverage also increased between May 2025 and March 2026, from 59 percent to 64 percent for Vodafone customers and from 65 percent to 72 percent for Three customers.
This is not conventional LTE-to-5G refarming, but it illustrates the broader principle behind spectrum optimization: operators can extract additional network capacity by using existing spectrum holdings more efficiently.
1800 MHz Represents a Huge Future 5G Resource
The global footprint of 1800 MHz makes it another major candidate for long-term 5G refarming.
GSA identified 465 operators investing in LTE or 5G at 1800 MHz in May 2026, making it the most widely used mid-band spectrum range covered by its report.
However, only 26 operators were investing in 5G using band n3, indicating that most 1800 MHz spectrum remains closely tied to LTE.
That creates a potentially significant future 5G capacity pool.
As the proportion of traffic carried by LTE declines, operators can progressively reduce LTE bandwidth and allocate additional 1800 MHz spectrum to 5G rather than making an abrupt technology switch.
2G and 3G Shutdowns Accelerate Spectrum Refarming
Retirement of older mobile technologies is creating additional opportunities.
By June 2026, GSA had identified 313 completed, planned or ongoing 2G and 3G switch-offs across 89 countries and territories.
For 3G specifically, 174 operators across 67 markets had completed, started or planned shutdowns, with 102 operators already completing the transition.
The spectrum released from legacy networks can be reassigned to LTE and 5G while operators also reduce the energy and operational costs associated with maintaining older network layers.
Why Refarming Matters for 5G Network Economics
Spectrum refarming provides operators with something particularly valuable: additional capacity from assets they already own.
The spectrum licences already exist. Tower locations are largely established. Modern radio equipment supports multiple frequency bands and technologies.
The economics can therefore be attractive compared with relying entirely on new spectrum purchases or deploying additional cell sites.
There is nevertheless a limit to how quickly operators can proceed.
Removing LTE capacity too aggressively could create congestion for customers still using 4G devices. Operators must therefore balance LTE traffic, 5G device penetration, roaming requirements and spectrum efficiency before converting individual carriers.
The migration is likely to follow several stages:
3G shutdown → LTE spectrum consolidation → DSS coexistence → dedicated 5G carriers → progressively smaller LTE spectrum allocations.
The experience of Deutsche Telekom suggests that some advanced 5G markets are already reaching the stage where DSS is no longer required for certain bands.
2026–2030: Existing Spectrum Becomes More Valuable
The next phase of 5G expansion will not depend only on acquiring additional spectrum.
Operators have another capacity resource sitting inside their existing networks.
The combination of 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz refarming, low-band optimization, 2300/2600 MHz capacity layers and 3.3–3.8 GHz 5G spectrum gives operators multiple ways to increase capacity as traffic moves from LTE to 5G.
The strategic objective is therefore not simply to shut down 4G.
It is to progressively transfer spectrum from less efficient or declining network technologies toward 5G while maintaining enough LTE capacity for customers that still require it.
Between 2026 and 2030, spectrum refarming could consequently become one of the most important tools operators use to increase 5G capacity without allowing network investment to rise at the same pace as mobile data traffic.
FASNA SHABEER
