A high-stakes fight over Europe’s 6 GHz spectrum
Europe is heading toward a decisive moment in one of its biggest spectrum battles in years. The upper part of the 6 GHz band—prime real estate for wireless networks—has been stuck in regulatory limbo, but that may be about to change. And if it does, mobile operators could walk away as the clear winners.
Reuters reports that the Radio Spectrum Policy Group (RSPG), the EU’s top advisory board on spectrum strategy, is preparing to recommend that the remaining 6 GHz frequencies be licensed to telecom companies. Their reasoning is simple: without more mid-band spectrum, Europe risks falling behind in the race to build out next-generation 5G and 6G networks.
The lower half of the band (5945–6425 MHz) is already open for Wi-Fi, powering today’s Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 devices. But the large upper block—6425 to 7125 MHz—is still up for debate. For now, European Wi-Fi 7 routers can only use up to 320 MHz of continuous spectrum, far less than the full 1200 MHz that’s available in the United States.
If the RSPG gets its way, that difference will remain. Europe wouldn’t open the full band to Wi-Fi, and at most, tech companies might gain another 160 MHz—though they wouldn’t be allowed to use it until regulators finish their work at the World Radiocommunications Conference in 2027.
Both sides have been lobbying hard. Mobile carriers say this is the last major slice of mid-band spectrum left, and it’s essential for boosting network capacity as data demand grows. Tech companies argue the opposite: Wi-Fi networks in homes and offices are under increasing pressure, and without more spectrum, they’ll struggle to keep up.
The final decision will define not only the future of Wi-Fi and mobile broadband in Europe, but also how competitive the region remains on the global tech landscape.
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