Over the past three years, engineers and carriers around the world have largely agreed that 3.5GHz compliant radio spectrum is ideal for 5G deployment – a ‘midband’ compromise between the lower frequencies used by older cellular standards and the higher , shorter distance millimeter wave frequencies. But in the United States, the Department of Defense (DoD) has controlled much of the midband spectrum, creating a tension between military and potential consumer applications. Today, the White House announced that the DoD has agreed to release 100MHz of 3.5GHz spectrum for commercial use, a process that will increase US 5G networks over the next 5 years.
The newly available DoD reserved frequencies range from 3.45GHz to 3.55GHz, a sisable spectrum block that would allow only 5G users to enjoy fast speeds without connecting to small millimeter-wave cells. According to CTO Michael Kratsios of the United States, this 100MHz block was chosen because it “can be made available without sacrificing the great military and national security capabilities of our nation,” and will support towers and devices operating on ” full commercial power levels “from coast to coast. Some mid-band frequencies are subject to regional power and priority constraints based on existing military applications.
Importantly, however, the new block next to 430MHz of midband spectrum previously released in small packets from various users. This means that US 5G will be able to operate at 3.45GHz via 3.98GHz midband frequencies, as well as lower and higher bandwidth available, and put 5G devices and users here on par with those in foreign countries.
A senior administration official explained that this block was designed to rapidly expand the range of existing mid-band frequencies for consumer use, and turned out to be a six-to-eight-year DoD / FCC approval slump in an 18-month period. On a positive note, the FCC is apparently ready to follow and process the legally required timeline to auction the spectrum as soon as possible. The bad news: That will result in a December 2021 auction, followed by mid-2022 consumer engagement across the spectrum.
While the 3.45GHz to 3.55GHz frequencies represent a welcome step forward for 5G mid-range consumers, the DOD maintains still other frequencies – including an enormous block of 3.1GHz to 3.45GHz spectrum – that are likely to be less useful for military use then consumer applications. The release of the DOD from the 100MHz block does not mean that these other frequencies will eventually become unavailable for consumer use, but rather that they were not prioritized for the faster track approval process. Despite the uncertainty about future spectrum additions, it is comforting to know that the US shortage of consumer midband 5G frequencies is being addressed, and that the military is not just listening to spectrum.
