• Lower 160MHz gets Wi-Fi priority from 6425MHz to 6585MHz, the rest goes to mobile
• Spectrum access now depends on device class and location, not just 6GHz equipment support
The fact
Ofcom has decided to divide the upper 6GHz band into two priority portions. The lower 160MHz, from 6425MHz to 6585MHz, will be Wi-Fi priority, while the remaining 540MHz, from 6585MHz to 7125MHz, will be mobile priority. Low-power indoor and very-low-power devices will be allowed to use the Wi-Fi-priority portion on a licence-exempt basis. Outdoor and standard-power Wi-Fi will also be permitted there, but only under the control of an Automated Frequency Coordination system. AFC-controlled Wi-Fi may also use the mobile-priority portion, giving Wi-Fi a route into both parts of the band under different operating conditions.
Ofcom is consulting on draft regulations and a revised IR 2030 to implement the Wi-Fi-priority decision. It has separately finalised the registration conditions for AFC service providers and the technical requirements for standard-power devices. AFC systems use a device’s location and technical details, together with information on protected services, to assign available frequencies and maximum power levels. Providers must register with Ofcom before offering AFC services in the UK.
The assessment
The framework creates two deployment processes within the same band. Low-power indoor Wi-Fi will be able to use the 160MHz priority portion under licence-exempt rules, while standard-power and outdoor access points must receive location-specific channels and power limits from a registered AFC service before they transmit. For those deployments, spectrum coordination becomes part of the installation process. Vendors serving the market will need compatible equipment, while operators and installers must provide accurate location and technical data for each controlled access point.
For BTW readers, the full 700MHz will not function as one uniform pool of Wi-Fi capacity. Any network plan that extends beyond the low-power indoor block will depend on AFC availability, device compatibility and the limits assigned at each site. Wi-Fi can also operate in the 540MHz mobile-priority portion, but Ofcom retains the ability to change how that access is managed as mobile networks enter the band. Spectrum availability will therefore depend on device class and location, not simply on whether equipment supports 6GHz.
What to watch
Watch for Ofcom’s final regulations and revised IR 2030, followed by the registration of AFC providers and availability of compatible standard-power equipment. These steps are required before AFC-controlled Wi-Fi deployments can begin. Ofcom’s planned autumn 2026 decision on high-density areas and mobile coexistence may set further conditions for Wi-Fi use in the mobile-priority portion.