FEATURE: MOBILE

A GSMA report shows that assigning the upper 6 GHz band to licensed mobile operators could deliver seven times more economic benefit to Latin America than leaving it for unlicensed Wi-Fi.

What is IMT Spectrum?

IMT stands for International Mobile Telecommunications, the global framework established by the ITU( International Telecommunication Union) for spectrum allocation to mobile operators. IMT-licensed bands are the foundation of 4G, 5G and future 6G networks, ensuring:

A new GSMA study, 6 GHz in LATAM, reveals that assigning the upper 6 GHz band( 6.425 – 7.125 GHz) to licensed International Mobile Telecommunications( IMT) services could deliver up to seven times more economic benefit to the region than if the same range were left exclusively for unlicensed use such as Wi-Fi.

The findings are clear: mobile networks, not Wi-Fi, will face the biggest capacity crunch in the coming decade and only by unlocking new mid-band spectrum can Latin America keep pace with its digital ambitions.

The 6 GHz band: A strategic asset

Spectrum is the invisible infrastructure underpinning the internet economy. The 6 GHz range – split between the lower band( 5.925 – 6.425 GHz) and upper band( 6.425 – 7.125 GHz) – is the last large block of mid-band spectrum available for global allocation.

• Lower 6 GHz: Already earmarked for unlicensed use in many markets powering Wi-Fi 6E and the upcoming Wi-Fi 7 standard

• Upper 6 GHz: Still undecided in much of the world and now the focus of an intense policy debate: Wi-Fi vs licensed mobile.

• Quality of service( guaranteed speeds and coverage obligations)

• Efficient investment( operators can justify costly network rollouts with predictable spectrum rights)

• Wider access( especially in rural and underserved areas where mobile often provides the first and only broadband option)

Mobile vs Wi-Fi: The capacity crunch

The GSMA’ s report is based on traffic data from 11 major Latin American cities using Ookla’ s crowd-sourced measurements. The findings highlight a stark contrast:

• Wi-Fi today:

• Dominated by legacy technologies( Wi-Fi 4 and Wi-Fi 5)

• Only 4 – 22 % of usage runs on Wi-Fi 6 – the most efficient standard

• Almost no connections yet in the lower 6 GHz Wi-Fi 6E range – meaning plenty of room for future growth without needing the upper band

• Mobile networks today:

• 84 % of indoor connectivity comes from midband spectrum

• 71 % of urban indoor 5G use is carried over the 3.5 GHz band

• By 2030, each country will need an average of 2 GHz of mid-band spectrum – a demand impossible to meet without using the upper 6 GHz

24 INTELLIGENTCIO LATAM www. intelligentcio. com