Satellite was an enduring theme at this year’s conference, as operators become more conscious of the threat, as well as opportunity, it poses
MWC26: Regulation & Policy Roundup from Day 1
Usual gripes about Europe’s low ARPUs and over-regulation contrasted with operators’ optimism regarding opportunities presented by sovereignty and satellite
Switzerland: Accelerating mobile infrastructure deployment
OFCOM is set to be given broader responsibilities for approving mast upgrades, streamlining current lengthy planning processes
South Korea: Future-facing spectrum reallocation
MSIT policy aims to facilitate 3G, and eventually 4G, network retirement while using rollout-linked discounting to boost 5GSA coverage
Science, Innovation and Technology Committee: The future of telecoms and broadband
MPs raised concerns about a lack of government targets for mobile and the prospect of some consumers being left behind, providing for some awkward moments
Ofcom’s 2026/27 Plan of Work: More of the same
Ofcom’s planned projects largely signal a continuation of the regulator’s focus on online safety, spectrum for satellite services, improving mobile connectivity and network resilience
Spain: Preparing telecoms networks for critical incidents
Operators’ estimates for the cost of enhanced power resilience at mobile sites dwarf the Government’s own calculations by a factor of five to one
Securing emergency calling during 2G/3G retirement
Though it did not reference it directly, the PTS has learned from the issues with device compatibility in Australia in preparing operators for 2G and 3G shutdowns
Adapting telecoms networks for climate change
Though the Irish Government has considered a number of adaptive measures, it primarily plans to continue studying network resilience before legislating or regulating
ACMA’s five-year spectrum outlook
The regulator is set to make critical decisions on expiring licences and the upper 6GHz band, while supporting the introduction of a novel mobile USO
