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The Ministry of Economic Affairs intends to make the 3.8-4.2 GHz band suitable for mobile use. Currently, this band is used for communication between satellites and private ground stations. However, this is not compatible with mobile use, as satellite signals are relatively weak and easily disrupted by mobile usage. Therefore, the Ministry wishes to eliminate the primary purpose of the band for satellite reception.
In this study, we aim to answer the question of a reasonable timeframe for this change. The key aspect is determining within what timeframe the organisations with ground stations can migrate to alternative locations or solutions. Additionally, we have examined vital dependencies, impact on end users, potential obstacles, and consequences of premature phasing out. We conducted a survey among current users, which was subsequently validated.
Our analysis indicates that a maximum timeframe of 18 months (counted from 1st February 2026) is realistic for all users except one. We believe that these timeframes and the underlying arguments provided by the users are realistic, with limited potential for acceleration.
One current user indicated a need until 1st March 2028 based on existing plans (equivalent to 26 months from 1st February 2026). We see limited room to shorten this timeframe, as a substantial investment (at least tens of thousands) would be required to establish a temporary alternative for a short period. Since this user only utilises a small portion of the frequency band, we believe it is relevant to consider a phased approach, with an 18-month timeframe being realistic for the other users, and a 'hard' deadline of 1st March 2028 being agreed upon with the last user.
