Finland’s 5G spectrumregulatory status

Sini Wirén, senior adviser

Networks Department

uO5G Final Results Seminar, Aalto University

December 18, 2018

Role of the Ministry of Transport and Communications

• Prepares political and strategic guidelines and legislation

• Prepares the Government Decree on Radio Frequency Usage and the Frequency Plan

• Prepares Government decisionson operating licenses for digital terrestial television and mobile networks

Spectrum policy in Finland

• The aim is to secure efficient and interference-free use of radio frequencies

• Forward-looking spectrum policy is a prerequisite for development of technology and digitalisation

• The Finnish Government has granted as much spectrum for mobile broadband as possible

• The average monthly mobile data usage is very high

• The telecommunications market has been open for competition since late 1980’so Fierce competition has kept customer prices low

and encouraged take-up of customer-friendly business models, such us unlimited bundles

Digital Infrastructure Strategy

• The strategy covers both the promotion of wireless connections and the construction of fixed connections

• The measures in the strategy involve, among other things, the construction of 5G networks and frequency policy and streamlining construction permit procedures

• Finland aims for the development of communications connections in accordance with the objectives of the European Commission, at the minimum:

”By 2025 all households should have access to at least 100 Mbit/s connections. It should be possible to increase the speed of the connection to one gigabyte per second.”

• The strategy deals with the 3,5 GHz and 26 GHz bands in particular

3,5 GHz spectrum band

• The ”pioneer band” for 5G in Europe

• Will be taken into national use for wireless broadband from the beginning of 2019

• The network licenses have beenauctioned this autumn• Licenses granted to three

major telecommunication operators

(Telia Finland, Elisa and DNA)

• The licences are valid until 31 December 2033

3,5 GHz terms of use

The upper part of the band is currently limited due to Russia's use of frequencies

Finland pursues to advancecoordination negotiations

The limitations have been considered in theauction design and license terms

Each license includes130 MHz of contiguous spectrumHowever, while the restrictions are in place, each license includes two blocks (one unrestricted and one restricted)

No coverage obligations in the licenses The networks will be build on commercial basis

Other frequencies for mobile networks

• The 3G and 4G networks cover already 99 % of the population in Finland

• The 800 MHz licenses have been valid from 2014 and the 700 MHz licenses from 2017

• New licenses for 900, 1800 & 2100 MHz bands have been granted in December 2018

• The licenses are technology neutral:• The frequencies can also be used

for future mobile technologies

• However, there’s a 99 %

population coverage obligation

for GSM (review in 2023)

Future 5G spectrum bands

• The frequencies above 24 GHz provide greater bandwidth that is required to achieve the highest data rates

• Finland aims at promoting active, forward-looking spectrum policy in the European and global arenas

• The next World RadiocommunicationsConference could be able to harmonize spectrum in the higher frequency bands• In Europe, 26 GHz has been

recognised as the key higher band for 5G

Also, other bands are needed

Local service delivery in 5G

• Different local use cases may require tailored network solutions

• Demand for local solutions may take place in restricted geographical areas, such as ports, industrial facilities, hospitals or shopping centres

• Many different kind of actors could potentially provide tailored services

• The local use cases have been taken into account in the terms of the3,5 GHz network licenses

• The licensees are obliged to either provide the local service

themselves or lease the spectrum in that area

• The needs of the industrial facilities and other vertical sectors can befurther discussed when new frequencies are allocated for 5G

Development, research and educational use

Frequencies have been assigned for research purposes in several licensed frequency bands that are allocated to mobile communications

The exact frequencies and geographicareas have been recently amended:• 100 MHz in limited areas in Espoo and Oulu

(3,5 GHz band)

• Narrower ranges in wider areas in Espoo, Oulu and Tampere (1,8 / 2,1 / 2,6 / 3,5 GHz bands)

FICORA has granted about 30 licenses for 5G testing for operators, manufacturers and research institutes etc.

Active testing also in 26 GHz and 28 GHz bands

Review of the Act on Electronic Communications Services

• The EU has recently approved newdirectives on Electronic Communications Code and Audiovisual Media Services

• The national implementation of the Directives will take place in 2019-2020

• At the same time, it’s possible to evaluate potential amendments to national provisions

• The national Communications Services Act covers, for example, spectrummanagement and consumer rights

5G and intelligent transport

Finland aims at ensuring a regulatory and operating environment that fosters development of intelligent and automated transport

5G and other future mobile generations providea great potential for this sector

it’s vital to ensure technology-neutrality also in the EU regulation

There’re already severalexperiments and ecosystems

for example, within the5G Momentum project

Thank you!

lvm.fi/en @lvm.fi @WirenSini