NTIA Needs to Look North of 7.4 GHz for 6G Spectrum: Qualcomm's Kuzin
NTIA should look beyond the 2.7-2.9 GHz, 4.4-4.9 GHz and 7.25-7.4 GHz bands to midband spectrum above 7.4 GHz as it searches for spectrum to use for 6G deployments, wrote John Kuzin, Qualcomm's senior vice president of spectrum policy and regulatory counsel, in a blog post Tuesday. Mobile data demands are only going to grow and will require additional spectrum, he noted. If a particular band can't be shared, the FCC and NTIA should consider using auction proceeds to fund relocating the incumbents, who might be able to operate more effectively in less spectrum with equipment updates, he said.
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Kuzin also argued that for the U.S. to keep pace with other major world markets in 6G, it will require at least 600 MHz of full-power mobile midband spectrum to be made available by decade's end. The 6G standard will be completed in early 2029, and standardized 6G equipment will come later that year, he noted. Another 600 MHz of full-power mobile spectrum below 10 GHz will be needed by 2034 to support the second wave of 6G deployments, he said, adding that the government must chart a route to opening that 1,200 MHz to ensure that the U.S. leads in 6G deployments throughout the coming decade.