Page 88 - SAMENA Trends - August-September 2025

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

NBTC to Allocate 100MHz Free to Factories for 5G Networks

The National Broadcasting and operations and enhance capabilities, said market service as it does not align with
Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) Mr. Somphop. They cannot use the band the NBTC's objective of promoting 5G
plans to allocate 100 megahertz of for commercial purposes for outsiders, he private networks, he said. "The purpose
bandwidth on the 4800MHz band free of said. Mr. Somphop said some businesses of the 4800MHz allocation is mainly for
charge to factories to help develop their might want to be private network operators factories and enterprises requesting the
5G private networks. The 4800MHz band (PNOs). These firms will be directly awarded spectrum for their operations. Factories
will be allocated for non-profit use with the right from the NBTC to use the 4800MHz can collaborate with equipment vendors
conditions to drive vertical industries to band to offer services and related solutions or telecom companies to deploy solutions
develop their 5G private networks for to factories and industrial estates, he for 5G private network operations," said Mr.
operations, said NBTC commissioner said. PNOs may be required to bid for the Somphop. Current 5G usage in the mass
Somphop Purivigraipong, who is right to use the band to serve their factory market does not fully utilize 5G capabilities
responsible for the telecom sector. He said customers, said Mr. Somphop. Major as most consumer use consists of video
in principle, the NBTC plans to allocate telecom operators can join these auctions streaming and complementing 4G service,
the 4800MHz band mainly to enterprises, if they want to be PNOs in this category, he he said. Few factories have adopted 5G
factories and industrial estate operators said. However, if major mobile operators solutions on telecom operators' 2600MHz
that ask for the spectrum, regardless are awarded 4800MHz licenses for 5G band as there are limited real use cases
of whether they will collaborate with private networks, they will be prohibited for them, said Mr. Somphop. "Allocation
equipment vendors or telecom operators from providing mobile phone service to of the 4800MHz band should promote real
to deploy the spectrum to operate their 5G the mass market, said Mr. Somphop. They use cases for 5G private network adoption
private networks. Participating factories will also be prohibited from roaming the nationwide," he said. The NBTC previously
must utilize the band to improve their band with their existing 2600MHz mass considered allocating a portion of the
3500MHz band for 5G private network
promotion. However, there are some
technical problems in allocating 3500MHz,
which is the most popular band globally
for 5G adoption. A source on the NBTC
board who requested anonymity said up
to 700MHz of bandwidth on the 3500MHz
spectrum could be allocated. The NBTC
initially planned to auction 100MHz of
bandwidth on the 3500MHz band by the
end of 2027. However, the Association of
Digital TV Broadcasting urged the NBTC
to reconsider its plan to auction the 3500-
3800MHz spectrum for telecom service
as many satellite TV stations now use the
range to air their programs.

UK Broadband Availability in Q2 2025: FTTP Approaching 80%

This is our regular update on fixed 77.8% of the UK premises, compared to Barnet and Barnsley local authorities added
broadband availability in the UK, tracking 75.8% at the end of Q1 2025. The number most FTTP premises in Q2 2025 (14.9K
the progress to the end of Q2 2025. The of FTTP premises went up 15.3% y-o-y. and 14.2K respectively).
analysis is based on our broadband 10.9 million premises had access to two Nationwide 2 million premises could
availability dataset which covers all 1.7m or more FTTP networks (32.6% of all UK choose between two or more fiber altnets,
UK postcodes. More granular, postcode premises). Just over 1.75 million premises compared to 1.9 million in Q1 2025, with
level broadband availability updates by were covered by 3+ fiber networks. altnet overbuild slowing down.
operator and technology, are available to Legacy networks operated by Openreach
our UK Broadband Mapping customers. still covered 14.3 million premises, but this
Key headlines figure is now lower by 4.3 million than that
At the end of Q2 2025, FTTP coverage was of their FTTP premises.

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