What Will It Take to Chart a Course for the Next Decade of Connectivity?

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During our May edition of Little Nuggets of Tech and Telecom, Peter Rysavy, president of Rysavy Research, discussed emerging spectrum opportunities for the next generation of mobile connectivity, the symbiotic relationship between Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks and terrestrial mobile networks, the commercial opportunities in the 4 Ghz bands versus the 7 GHz bands, and the evolving global race for harmonized spectrum policy ahead of WRC-27.

Key Takeaways:

  • The FCC’s proposed 3.98–4.2 GHz band can be considered the most immediately deployable new spectrum because it sits close to existing C-band deployments and will be able to be built out using “off-the-shelf” equipment.
  • Many countries see the Upper 7 GHz spectrum as a strong global candidate for 6G due to its potential for very wide channels, and its proximity to 6 GHz which many countries have designated for 6 G (in the U.S. 6 GHz is for unlicensed).
    • Rysavy also explained that making use of 7 GHz will depend on major technological advances like ultra-large antenna systems (“Giga MIMO”).
  • Global spectrum harmonization is becoming increasingly important as misalignment between regions raises costs for devices, chipsets, and network infrastructure.
  • LEO satellite systems will complement, not replace, terrestrial mobile networks: primarily serving rural, remote, and emergency coverage use cases.
    • Rysavy noted that terrestrial networks remain vastly more capable in capacity terms with far more cell sites and spectrum resources than satellite systems can currently match.
  • There is skepticism that fully centralized “AI-native” networks (e.g., GPU-based base stations) will be universally adopted with operators likely retaining architectural control.  There is also a growing array of AI chip vendors who have different ideas about how AI can intertwine with digital broadband networks.
  • 6G is expected to deliver major gains in efficiency, new spectrum access (including sub-terahertz bands), and entirely new capabilities like real-time, network-based sensing.
  • Dynamic spectrum sharing remains an active research area with future systems likely to move beyond today’s Citizens Broadband Radio Service-style approaches toward more intelligent, real-time coordination mechanisms.

You can watch or listen to the entire conversation on our YouTube channel.