6 GHz Spectrum and the Future of 5G Connectivity -- Part 1: The Changing Spectrum Landscape

IEEE Future Networks Transmissions

One of the key enablers for future innovation and deployment of 5G technology is the availability of wireless spectrum to support a wide range of new bandwidth-intensive services. The recent change in spectrum regulation for the 6 GHz frequency band in the US has become a potential game changer with respect to the future of 5G given the opportunities for new operations these frequencies can support. At the same time, with opportunities there are risks, including coexistence issues with other wireless communication networks hoping to use this spectrum, as well as legacy radio applications such as radio astronomy, satellite communications, and remote sensing/radar. Moreover, as the US pursues this path to using the 6 GHz band for new wireless applications, other parts of the world, such as Europe and Asia, are closely observing how such a change could benefit them. In this podcast, we will hear from two world leaders in spectrum management how this recent regulatory change in the spectrum landscape will impact the future of 5G from both a US and an international perspective in terms of opportunities, challenges, and risks.