The new GSMA Global Spectrum spectrum prices report finds that spectrum costs have increased considerably as a percentage of income, increasing cost load for operators and restricting the critical investment of the network.
May 15, 2025, London – The GSMA today launched its last 'Global Spectrum Price Report', highlighting that the average spectrum prices have not been reduced in line with operator's income in the last decade, which exerts significant pressure on its ability to invest in essential network infrastructure.
The report shows that, although both consumer prices for mobile services and the average spectrum cost have fallen, the general cost load for mobile network operators (MNO) has increased sharply. The costs of the global cumulative spectrum now represent 7% of the operator's income, an increase of 63% in the last ten years. Meanwhile, the average income generated by Megahertz (MHz) of the spectrum has decreased by 60% during the same period. Although MHz costs have fallen by up to 75% in some bands since 2014, operators have increased spectrum holdings by 80% during the same period to meet the demand for bandwidth, which increases the total cost.
A data gigabyte is much more affordable today than ten years ago, with operators who experience an amazing 96% drop in GB revenues between 2014 and 2024. However, these revenues due to fall, when combined with the proportionally high cost of acquiring spectrum, restricting the capacity of operators to invest in expansion and improve mobile networks, particularly 4g and 5g. The report shows that the highest spectrum costs are directly correlated with lower network coverage and reduce mobile speeds, impacting consumers and decelerating the development of digital economies worldwide.
Vivek Badrinath, General Director of the GSMAsaying: “The mobile industry is in the heart of the digital economy, enabling services and opportunities that transform lives. But you can only spend one dollar once, and high spectrum costs can drown the investment at a time when the need for affordable and reliable connectivity has never been greater. Quality and greater digital inclusion for all its citizens.”
The global spectrum prices report also highlights that public policy options, such as establishing artificially high reserve prices, creating artificial shortage and attaching onerous license obligations, have often contributed to inflated spectrum costs. In some countries, spectrum costs can reach up to 25% of operator's income.
The GSMA urges policy formulators to adjust the prices of the spectrum in line with the current market conditions and the economic realities faced by the operators. With almost 1,000 spectrum licenses to expire worldwide by 2030, the next renovations present a critical opportunity to restore price policies to boost investment in the next generation of mobile networks.
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