Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of 5G airwaves on (1) satellite communication, and (2) the European Space Agency's Copernicus Project.

The Government is committed to create a policy and regulatory environment which will ensure the most efficient use of radio spectrum (or airwaves), including setting the right conditions for the development and deployment of 5G networks while protecting important satellite services and applications.

Government departments and agencies have been actively involved in the work of international telecoms groups, ITU (International Telecommunications Union) and CEPT (European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations), to study the necessary technical conditions for 5G, to ensure that they meet internationally agreed protection criteria for satellite communication and scientific satellites, including Copernicus.

These technical conditions must balance the needs of the 5G industry and the science community. Such conditions have already been agreed within Europe. The UK has proposed, via European coordination (i.e. the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations, a pan-European body including 48 countries), that these technical conditions should be adopted at global level at WRC-19 (World Radiocommunication Conference), which meets until 22nd November.