Italy has launched its auction of 26 GHz millimetre-wave spectrum with a base price of €180 million, opening the way for operators to deploy high-capacity 5G mobile and fixed wireless access (FWA) networks.

The reserve price, set by the Italian government, covers licences in the band that operators can use for both ultra-dense 5G coverage and fibre-alternative fixed broadband in areas where cabling is uneconomic.

What does the 26 GHz band offer operators?

The 26 GHz band sits at the top of the spectrum range currently assigned for 5G. Its wide channel bandwidths allow multi-gigabit throughput, but signals travel only short distances and struggle to penetrate walls. That makes the band suitable for:

• Dense urban 5G hotspots, stadiums and transport hubs
• Fixed wireless access, where an outdoor antenna serves a home or business with fibre-like speeds
• Private 5G networks on industrial and campus sites

Operators in other European markets have taken a pragmatic view of millimetre-wave licences. Where reserve prices ran high, some bidders stayed away; where prices stayed low, take-up followed. Italy's €180 million starting figure signals a government expectation that the band carries material commercial value, and the final sums paid will show whether Italian operators agree.

Why the auction matters for fixed wireless

Italy's inclusion of fixed wireless access in the licence framework reflects the country's connectivity economics. FWA over 26 GHz can deliver very high speeds without trenching fibre to every premises, and operators can target towns and rural districts where fibre rollouts are slow or costly.

The band also gives mobile operators additional capacity relief in city centres, where mid-band 5G networks are approaching congestion as traffic grows.

What happens next?

Bidders will now compete in the auction process, with final licence fees and assignees determined by the outcome. The pace at which winners then put the spectrum to work — building millimetre-wave sites and marketing FWA services — will decide whether the €180 million reserve turns into genuine network coverage or spectrum held for future use.