Twelve of Europe’s largest telecommunications companies have issued a collective call for regulators to allocate more spectrum for mobile services, highlighting concerns that Europe risks falling behind the United States in the race to deploy 6G technology, Reuters news report said.
Operators such as Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, and TIM have requested that regulators open up the entire upper 6GHz frequency band for mobile network use. This spectrum band is one of the last substantial blocks of mid-band spectrum available, as most European nations have already auctioned off airwaves in the 3.4-3.8 GHz range for the initial rollout of 5G services.
6GHz band
The upper 6 GHz band (6.425-7.125 GHz) is critical for the successful launch of 6G in Europe as it provides essential spectrum capacity to accommodate escalating data demands and support next-generation mobile services.
European telecom operators emphasize that without full access to the entire band, Europe risks falling behind in global 6G development, jeopardizing its economic competitiveness and technological sovereignty.
While the US seeks to allocate the band for Wi-Fi, European operators argue that existing lower 6 GHz spectrum already meets Wi-Fi needs and that prioritizing mobile services is essential to prevent network saturation, maximize 6G service efficiency, and maintain Europe’s strategic influence in the global digital ecosystem.
Who is behind the move?
Alexander Kuchar, Group Chief Technology Officer of A1 Telekom Austria Group
Howard Watson, Chief Security and Networks Officer of BT Group
Abdurazak Mudesir, Group Chief Technology Officer of DTAG
Wouter Stammeijer, Chief Operating Officer of KPN
Sami Komulainen, Executive Vice president Production at Elisa
Laurent Leboucher, Chief Technology Officer of Orange
Geert Standaert, Chief Technology Officer of Proximus
Andrea Folgueiras, Chief Technology & Information Officer of Telefonica
Alexandra Furst, Chief Technology & Information Officer of Telia Company
Leonardo Capdeville, Chief Technology Officer of TIM
Zeljko Batistic, VP – Technology of the United Group
Alberto Ripepi, Chief Network Officer of Vodafone Group
While the United States designated the 6GHz band for Wi-Fi use in 2020, and China allocated it for both 5G and 6G services in 2023, Europe has yet to make a decisive move. In their letter, the European telecom giants cautioned that delaying the allocation of the upper 6GHz band for mobile networks could undermine Europe’s competitiveness in the global telecom sector, particularly as the United States continues to leverage the band for Wi-Fi and other technologies.
“If the decision to make the upper 6GHz band available to European mobile operators is delayed, while U.S. technology interests are permitted to secure further 6GHz capacity, Europe’s competitiveness would be threatened,” the operators warned.
The European Union’s Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG) is expected to release a draft opinion for public consultation in June 2025. The document will provide recommendations to the European Commission on how to allocate the 6GHz spectrum, with potential implications for mobile network operators, Wi-Fi stakeholders, and future 6G deployments.
According to the operators, the current spectrum resources allocated to mobile networks will not be sufficient to accommodate the rising network traffic driven by data-intensive applications and services. They argue that without access to the full upper 6GHz band, the development of 6G technology in Europe could be “significantly curtailed,” jeopardizing the region’s potential to play a leading role in the next generation of wireless communications.
Research and development for 6G technology are underway, with commercial deployments expected in the 2030s. However, the availability of sufficient spectrum resources will be a key determinant of how quickly and effectively 6G can be rolled out across different regions.
The European telecom sector’s plea for the 6GHz band underscores the growing competition between the U.S., China, and Europe over next-generation wireless infrastructure. As nations position themselves to lead in 6G technology, the allocation of mid-band spectrum is poised to become a battleground in the race for global telecom dominance.
TelecomLead.com News Desk
