• 2 min read
UK opens more 6GHz for faster Wi-Fi now, 6G later
Ofcom has approved more 6GHz spectrum for UK Wi-Fi, with shared Wi-Fi and mobile use planned for the 2030s via AFC coordination.
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The UK is opening up more 6GHz spectrum for wireless connectivity, with Ofcom confirming it will implement its plan to expand access for Wi-Fi now and mobile broadband later. The regulator has approved use of the upper 6GHz band, from 6425MHz to 7125MHz, after an earlier consultation.
Under the plan, Wi-Fi gets priority access to the first 160MHz slice of that upper band, from 6425MHz to 6585MHz, plus non-prioritized access to the remaining 6585MHz to 7125MHz range. Mobile services are expected to join that larger portion in the 2030s, when 6G arrives.
Ofcom says this is the first time Wi-Fi and mobile services will be allowed to share the same frequency band. That will be managed through Automated Frequency Coordination, or AFC, which the regulator compares to an air traffic control system for wireless signals to avoid interference.
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“Everybody in the UK wants faster Wi-Fi and better mobile performance. Our decision today will allow mobile and Wi-Fi services to share the airwaves in the future, helping make this need a reality.”
How the 6GHz sharing plan works
So far, only the lower part of the 6GHz spectrum has been available. Ofcom says the new approach lets Wi-Fi use the band earlier while preserving room for mobile network operators to launch services later.
The regulator also notes that outdoor and higher-power use will be allowed, but only when devices operate under an AFC system. In practice, that should add more capacity in crowded places such as apartment blocks, offices, and stadiums, where many devices are competing for bandwidth.
For users, there is a hardware catch: routers need to support Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 to use 6GHz, and client devices need that support too.
Ofcom also argues the setup is flexible. In remote or rural areas where 6G is not deployed, the upper part of the band could remain fully available for Wi-Fi instead.
How well that works in signal-dense environments will depend on the real-world rollout of AFC.
Computing Editor
Tomas lives in the terminal. He covers chips, laptops, and operating systems with a focus on performance and efficiency. He reads kernel changelogs the way other people read fiction, and he's always on the hunt for the perfect mechanical keyboard switch. If it processes data, Tomas has an opinion on it.
via TechRadar
