Negotiators from the European Parliament, the European Council and the European Commission have reached political agreement on an EU-wide approach for the use of the 694 MHz to 790 MHz section of the UHF band (470-790 MHz) for 5G communications.

In general, the lower frequencies of good old UHF will continue to be used for digital terrestrial television (DVBT) and for wireless microphones for special events. The parties have agreed the 700-MHz band should be given to mobile operators and made available for wireless broadband use by 30 June 2020 so hams, write that on your calendars for a FIRST on 43 cms.

"The coordinated release of the 700 MHz band is major leap forward on the Union's path to 5G," said Guether Oettinger, European Commissioner for the digital economy and society, said in a statement from the European Commission.

Meanwhile Professor William Webb, deputy chair at CW (Cambridge Wireless) and CEO of the Weightless SIG, and one of the world’s leading wireless communications experts, has published his latest book that debunks the need and business case for 5G.

 In ‘The 5G Myth’, William Webb says that the 5G vision is flawed and rather than heralding a huge advance in global connectivity, users will simply not value the higher data rates promised and will not need the higher capacity forecast. He argues that the vision is also flawed because technological advances are insufficient to deliver it and because mobile operators are not profitable enough to afford it.