UK regulator Ofcom published its final draft regulations document for an auction of mmWave spectrum scheduled for next year, citing the frequency’s suitability for carrying large amounts of data in densely populated areas.

The rules could be subject to what it termed as minor amendments, with the regulations set to be signed-off and become law in early 2025.

Ofcom plans to make an announcement on the timing of the auction itself by the end of 2024, with this slated to be after the Competition and Markets Authority has made a final decision on the proposed merger of 3 UK and Vodafone UK.

Spectrum is set to be auctioned in the 25.1-27.5GHz and 40.5-43.5GHz bands, with the regulator citing its suitability for “places where there are lots of people, like stadiums, busy streets, concert venues and train stations”.

Licences will be auctioned for specific parts of the country with a focus on major towns and cities. It is also set to make local licences available under an existing shared access framework.  

The regulator opened an initial consultation into releasing the bands for mobile industry use in 2022, with an original aim of making it available in 2024. A second review into the auction process took place in 2023.