GSMA urges urgent spectrum planning to support 6G

GSMA urges urgent spectrum planning to support 6G is profiled by BTW Media because published evidence links it to internet infrastructure, governance, operational dependencies, or market visibility.

• GSMA says 6G will require up to three times today’s mid-band spectrum to meet surging demand.
• The association urges at least 2 GHz of mid-band spectrum to be operational by 2030 to avoid future congestion.

What happened: GSMA pushes for proactive 6G spectrum planning

The GSMA has released a report titled “Vision 2040: Spectrum for the Future of Mobile Connectivity”, calling on governments to begin large-scale planning for 6G mid-band spectrum now. The association estimates that many countries will need 2 GHz to 3 GHz, or even up to 4 GHz in high-demand markets, of mid-band spectrum by around 2035 to 2040 to support AI-driven applications and advanced services. Currently, most nations allocate only around 1 GHz for mobile use.

The GSMA warns that without fast action, countries could face a spectrum crunch in the 2030s, which could lead to network congestion, slower services and poor user experience. The report also estimates that commercial 6G could begin to roll out as early as 2030, with early launches expected in major economies such as China, Japan, South Korea, India, the US, Europe and the Gulf region.

John Giusti, GSMA’s Chief Regulatory Officer, stressed that building a robust and sustainable digital economy in the years ahead depends on governments making mid-band spectrum available at scale now.

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Why it’s important

This call from the GSMA underscores a strategic inflection point: the future of mobile depends not just on advanced technologies, but on the availability of spectrum. As AI and immersive digital applications proliferate, demand for data is projected to explode. Without proactive regulation, the next generation of networks could be bottlenecked before they even start.

By urging for at least 2 GHz of mid-band capacity to be allocated by 2030, the GSMA is pushing for future-proof policy that can support not only 6G but also the cloud, smart cities and industrial IoT. This long-term view could unlock major economic growth, especially in cities where traffic is highest.

If regulators act now, they could help nations avoid spectrum scarcity, spur innovation, and ensure the full promise of 6G connectivity is realised — making tomorrow’s mobile networks more efficient, sustainable and equitable.