Understanding total licence cost in mobile spectrum management
Please sign in or register for a free public account to access this report.
This is the first in a series of analytical pieces from GSMA Intelligence looking at how the cost of mobile spectrum is measured.
Around the world, national regulators use different financial models when charging for mobile spectrum. Despite the different approaches, the overall aims are consistent – to cover the costs of spectrum management, to efficiently manage spectrum demand across competing use cases or to generate revenues for the state.
The most commonly used type of analysis for comparing access spectrum costs is $/MHz/population. This calculation takes the price paid when spectrum is awarded and divides by the amount of spectrum awarded and then the population. This report examines the impact of looking at the total licence cost (rather than just spectrum assignment costs) on the more traditional ways of making comparisons.
Related research
Global Spectrum Pricing
Government decisions on spectrum pricing continue to impact mobile coverage and speeds. This latest report on spectrum pricing finds spectrum costs have risen sharply as a percentage of revenues, increasing the cost burden on operators and constraining critical network investments.
Network Sunsets, Q1 2025
This quarterly series leverages GSMA Intelligence data on network sunsets to identify the key trends and understand the future. The report outlines the latest developments in network sunsets. The data provided here covers network sunsets by year, technology and region. The report also spotlights the momentum in 2G/3G network sunsets in the context of total active 2G/3G networks globally.
Mobile Investment Gaps: Pacific Islands
By 2030, a significant investment gap will remain in the Pacific Islands unless reform is implemented to unlock investment, improve returns and affordability, and remove the barriers hindering adoption and digital inclusion.
Authors
How to access this report
Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.
Enquire about subscriptionContact our research team
Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.
Contact our research teamMedia
To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.
Learn moreRelated research
Global Spectrum Pricing
Government decisions on spectrum pricing continue to impact mobile coverage and speeds. This latest report on spectrum pricing finds spectrum costs have risen sharply as a percentage of revenues, increasing the cost burden on operators and constraining critical network investments.
Network Sunsets, Q1 2025
This quarterly series leverages GSMA Intelligence data on network sunsets to identify the key trends and understand the future. The report outlines the latest developments in network sunsets. The data provided here covers network sunsets by year, technology and region. The report also spotlights the momentum in 2G/3G network sunsets in the context of total active 2G/3G networks globally.
Mobile Investment Gaps: Pacific Islands
By 2030, a significant investment gap will remain in the Pacific Islands unless reform is implemented to unlock investment, improve returns and affordability, and remove the barriers hindering adoption and digital inclusion.
- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics