Smarter spectrum policies could ease Europe's mobile investment needs, new GSMA report finds

BRUSSELS, Dec. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Europe's mobile operators could unlock billions in potential infrastructure investment, accelerating 5G standalone (5G SA) rollouts and boosting the continent's economic output, if policymakers take a smarter approach to spectrum policy, according to a new study from the GSMA.

The report, Spectrum pricing and renewals in Europe, written by GSMA Intelligence, sets out how Europe's long-standing approach to spectrum pricing has contributed to the investment pressures facing the mobile sector today. Analysis shows that total spectrum costs have risen sharply over the last ten years, now representing 8% of mobile operators' recurring revenues.

The findings come as Europe faces mounting pressure to catch up with global peers. Only 2% of Europeans use 5G SA services today, compared with 77% in China and around a quarter in the United States. With the Digital Networks Act in play, Europe has a timely opportunity to shift course.

More than 500 spectrum licences are due for renewal over the next ten years. These licences are crucial for existing coverage and services, largely covering 3G and 4G networks that continue to provide for Europe's 470 million mobile internet users, and could be a major lever for unlocking critical investment.

Under existing policies and at current prices, operators are expected to face spectrum costs of €105 billion through 2035. Reforming renewal approaches could reduce this by up to €30 billion.

These savings could potentially be able to cover the work needed to upgrade all existing 5G networks to 5G SA – bringing increased speeds of up to 23% and driving up to €75 billion in additional GDP over the next decade.

But to achieve these savings will require policy reform and a unified European approach to licensing and renewals.

John Giusti, Chief Regulatory Officer at the GSMA, comments: "Providing high-quality connectivity to Europe's citizens and improving the continent's competitiveness requires a lot of investment that many operators are struggling to source or justify. Smart reform of Europe's spectrum policy will have an immediate and enduring impact.

"In particular, renewal costs are a clear opportunity to be smarter in how industry money is assigned. Rather than continuing to use spectrum as a windfall opportunity, policymakers should be more ambitious with their approach to renewals and allow these funds to be directed to support Europe's ongoing digital goals."

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SOURCE GSMA