French regulator Arcep has launched a public consultation to gather stakeholders’ views on a number of topics relating to how 26 GHz spectrum can be made available for 5G services. Alongside 3.4-3.8 GHz frequencies, 26 GHz millimeter-wave (mmWave) spectrum has been identified by the EU’s Radio Spectrum Policy Group as a 'pioneer' band to support the first phase of 5G roll-out. The main focus of the consultation is to collect feedback on the best way forward to free up frequencies currently used by radio-relay systems, and to assess whether existing and new services within the band can coexist, or a migration to other frequencies should be considered.
The consultation also seeks to assess the potential issues and conditions attached to having ground stations for space exploration co-exist with future 5G networks, in line with work carried out at international and European level. In France, the 26 GHz band (25.5 - 27 GHz frequency range) is allocated to the ministry of armed forces, the National Centre for Space Research (CNES) and the country’s meteorological department. The regulator said that stakeholders’ views on ground stations and fixed satellite services will input into a project being carried out by a working group led by the Directorate-General for Enterprise and national spectrum agency ANFR.