Consultation on the licensing of communications networks, including 5g

The Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (GRA) has issued a public consultation on proposals to licence the provision of Mobile/Fixed Communications Networks (MFCN) in Gibraltar, including 5G Mobile Communications Services.

The introduction of 5G technology is particularly suited to the provision of exceptionally faster mobile data services and improved quality of service, meaning that broadband delivered over a MFCN could be equally as fast as that delivered over a fixed network.

The prospect of these technologies also offers new innovative services including the Internet of Things and Machine-to-Machine communications, which will provide operators the platforms to offer services in a more economic manner, as well as the opportunity to offer more bespoke solutions.

The focus of this consultation is the process for licensing future MFCN services in Gibraltar and, in this context, to set out the GRA’s plans for the spectrum bands, which should be allocated for the development of these services, including 5G.

In this regard, the GRA has considered current spectrum assignments and considered how available spectrum can be offered effectively to existing and new operators.

In the proposal, contained in the consultation, the GRA has built into the award process a methodology that takes account of the possibility of interest from new operators as well as current mobile operators.

The public consultation is available on the GRA’s website.