Catenaa, Thursday, January 22, 2026- The European Union appears set to introduce spectrum licences with indefinite validity, aiming to increase investment predictability, accelerate network rollout, and improve telecom services, according to a leaked EU document seen by Reuters.
The proposed licences are expected to include “use-it-or-share-it” or “lose-it” clauses, alongside rollout obligations, to prevent operators from hoarding spectrum.
Regulators also hope the measure will foster a secondary market for trading and leasing spectrum, enhancing flexibility across the sector.
Telcos have lobbied for reforms, citing a GSMA study showing that spectrum fees in Europe have tripled over the past decade, while revenue per MHz has fallen 54% since 2014.
The group estimates that updated licence policies could free up as much as €30 billion for reinvestment in networks.
Governments may approach the proposal cautiously, as proceeds from spectrum auctions and renewals have traditionally contributed significantly to public coffers.
The draft EU legislation, known as the Digital Networks Act (DNA), is expected to give authorities power to identify operators with significant market influence, imposing stricter rules on transparency, non-discrimination, and potentially price controls.
The act will reaffirm net neutrality principles and may facilitate cross-border consolidation among European telecom companies, echoing recommendations from the 2024 Draghi report.
The report emphasized harmonized spectrum rules, cybersecurity standards, and the ability for telcos to levy network usage fees on large content providers as key steps to regain global competitiveness.
The DNA is scheduled for presentation on January 20 by Henna Virkkunen, EU EVP for tech sovereignty, security, and democracy. Observers say the leaked proposals signal the EU may be moving closer to telcos’ preferred approach for spectrum management.
