5G drives revolutionary new applications across many sectors around the world. Areas such as industrial automation, health care, intelligent transport systems, and virtual reality can all help improve environmental and economic prosperity in all parts of Latin America. The first generation of commercial 5G networks show what great potential the technology has. However, without timely access to affordable mid-band spectrum, mobile operators are unable to deliver on this vision. The 3.5 GHz range (which includes the 3.3-3.8 GHz range) is already used in a majority of commercial 5G networks worldwide and has the largest ecosystem of devices. This makes it the closest we have to a globally harmonized band. Unlocking the use of the range is, therefore, key to the future of 5G success. The purpose of the report is to develop an analysis of usage and current status and potential demand of the range in Latin America, in order to guide plans on the region’s public agenda. The countries were chosen as a representative sample of the region, taking into account country size in terms of population and economy, 4G market development and 5G initiatives. That being said, the licensing guidelines proposed hold true for the rest of the region.
To get the best possible use of the range, the report also looks at current occupants – and the next steps to address the availability of the band for 5G. It should be noted that the mobile industry has long history of working alongside existing technologies in ways that prioritize societal benefits, and is willing and able to do so again. Planning for the range has started and it is expected to power commercial networks in 2021, but challenges still need to be overcome in some markets. To help, the report also offers a wealth of licensing guidelines for spectrum planning as well as spectrum awards and licensing. In addition to the importance of roadmaps and the amount of spectrum needed.