QUALCOMM 5G SUMMIT: GSMA Intelligence (GSMAi) explained momentum around mmWave spectrum was gathering pace, boosted by backing from the ITU along with a growing number of smartphone manufacturers.

During a presentation, senior analyst Emanuel Kolta (pictured), noted attention on mmWave had grown in 2020, citing global spectrum allocations and a growing number of operator trials.

The formal designation of high-frequency bands for 5G at the ITU’s WRC-19 was a major catalyst, he explained.

“We also see that there is a really quick evolution in the device ecosystem”, with a growing number of smartphones compatible with mmWave bands.

Research by GSMAi for a forthcoming report on the spectrum revealed dense urban, fixed wireless access and indoor deployments as the most cost-effective uses.

Kolta explained it modelled “different scenarios where mmWave can help operators to work efficiently”, to provide greater insight into the total cost of ownership and network requirements for each setting.

Preliminary results were based on modelling conducted using a dense urban area in China as a sample environment and a 100Mb/s data rate as a service baseline. Calculations for each scenario accounted for a range of variables including population density; the type of surfaces to be covered; the ratio of indoor versus outdoor coverage needed; and network density.

The report is scheduled to be published in November.