Finance
Wi-Fi industry clashes with mobile operators over additional EU spectrum
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on May 21, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
Company
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on May 21, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Wi-Fi providers and mobile operators clash over EU spectrum allocation, with both seeking access to the 6GHz band for future connectivity needs.
By Gianluca Lo Nostro
(Reuters) -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.
(Reporting by Gianluca Lo Nostro in Gdansk; Editing by Matthew Lewis )
The Dynamic Spectrum Alliance urged the European Commission to make the upper 6GHz band available for 'unrestrained' Wi-Fi operations.
Wi-Fi providers argue that without additional spectrum, European businesses could face higher costs and restricted access to new technologies, making them less competitive globally.
Mobile operators are urging EU regulators to reserve the same spectrum for 5G and 6G networks, expressing concerns over U.S. firms seeking more spectrum in Europe.
The Wi-Fi community advocates for a shared approach to spectrum, while mobile operators seek exclusive access.
The EU Commission is expected to propose the Digital Networks Act in late 2025, which aims to address connectivity challenges including spectrum policy.
Explore more articles in the Finance category
