Out of 21 European countries observed by Cullen International’s Radio Spectrum Europe service, five have already established licensing schemes for the 3.8–4.2 GHz band and another six countries plan to offer licences.

The European Commission harmonised the technical conditions of this band in December 2025. By 30 September 2026, EU member states must make the band available for low- and medium-power terrestrial wireless broadband systems capable of providing local-area network connectivity on a non-exclusive basis.

5G is not only used by mobile network operators but also by industry networks, for example in factories, business parks, ports or airports. Such local 5G networks need either their own local spectrum licences, or spectrum shared by operators with nationwide licences, or a wholesale service from a mobile network operator.

Our updated Benchmark shows that 13 of the 21 countries offer local licences suitable for 5G networks in at least one band.

Local licences are available in the 26 GHz band in nine countries, in the 3.4–3.8 GHz band in six countries and in the 2.3 GHz band in four.

The 3.8–4.2 GHz band may soon become the band with the widest support throughout Europe.

However, its harmonised technical conditions allow only low and medium power applications, to protect aircraft radio altimeters in the adjacent 4.2–4.4 GHz band.

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