Wi-Fi industry clashes with mobile operators over additional EU spectrum
By Gianluca Lo Nostro
A group of 58 internet providers and industry associations urged
EU
tech chief
Henna Virkkunen
on Wednesday to free up additional spectrum for Wi-Fi services, setting up a clash with operators seeking the same frequencies for mobile networks.
In a letter seen by Reuters, global advocacy group
Dynamic Spectrum Alliance
called on the
European Commission
to make the upper
6GHz band
available for "unrestrained" Wi-Fi operations.
Wi-Fi provides internet access to users but also enables various household devices to connect to networks, including televisions, home appliances and industrial sensors.
As consumer demand for high-speed connectivity rises, service providers are looking to expand network capacity, eyeing valuable radio spectrum.
Without additional
Wi-Fi spectrum
, European businesses could face higher costs and restricted access to new technologies, making them less competitive globally, the group said in the letter.
"Europe is already behind other countries in adopting the latest Wi-Fi standards," it said.
Earlier this month, 12 major telecoms operators urged EU regulators to reserve the same spectrum for 5G and 6G mobile networks, highlighting concerns over U.S. firms seeking more spectrum in Europe.
While European countries have been more cautious in their approach, the U.S., Canada, South Korea and several other countries have already allocated portions of the 6GHz band for Wi-Fi use.
The Wi-Fi community advocates a shared approach to spectrum compared with mobile operators who seek exclusive access, said Martha Suarez, president of the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance.
"Most of the traffic in Europe is indoors. And most of it starts or ends by a Wi-Fi connection. There is always a hype about 5G, 6G, but we should not forget how really users connect to the internet," Suarez told Reuters.
The EU Commission is expected to propose a legislative package, the
Digital Networks Act
, in late 2025, aiming to address connectivity challenges, including a more coordinated approach to spectrum policy across member states.
The Radio Spectrum Policy Group, which assists the Commission in developing spectrum policy, is scheduled to meet on June 17.
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