Iceland’s telecoms regulator commenced a process which could boost local and private 5G network deployments by a host of industries and align the nation with broader global rollouts.

Fjarskiptastofa opened a consultation into allocating spectrum in the 3800MHz to 4200MHz frequency band, one which is widely regarded as ideal for local area networks where capacity matters.

The regulator listed factories, ports and utilities among businesses which could benefit from access to all or some of the spectrum, which it noted is also suitable for delivering fixed wireless access services.

It proposes providing two tiers of licences, one for low-power deployments and another for medium.

Fjarskiptastofa explained low-power settings would be confined within a 50-metre radius, with multiple transmitters allowed.

Medium-range deployments would be “limited to a specific transmission location”.

The regulator proposes licences spanning 20MHz, 40MHz, 60MHz, 80MHz and 100MHz of bandwidth, with the latter the maximum for each permit.

Licences would be valid for a decade and holders would be required to launch services within a year of receiving clearance.

Fjarskiptastofa’s consultation runs until 10 November, after which it intends to publish all comments not covered by confidentiality requests.

The band covered is already popular for private 5G services: in 2025, the European Union called for member states to harmonise access, arguing there are broad benefits for industrial and non-industrial players.

But there are concerns the harmonised approach in the region may not be the panacea it first seems: in 2022, the GSMA expressed concern some member states could favour specific systems and so constrain the market.

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The US Commerce Department awarded $389 million in R&D funding to four companies working on semiconductor development, under the government’s CHIPS and Science Act.

In a statement, commerce secretary Howard Lutnick explained the funding “will accelerate American semiconductor innovation to enhance our domestic energy and power resources”.

As a condition of the close to $400 million outlay, the US government will receive minority, non-controlling and non-equity stakes in the four companies.

Washington-based Helion, which develops high-voltage power semiconductors and advanced energy power modules, will receive the biggest investment at $175 million.

Commonwealth Fusion Systems is in line for an $85 million investment, which it will use to develop semiconductor technologies for robotic maintenance.

Meanwhile, Vertical Semiconductors will get $73 million for its work across AI data centre racks and Sibelco North America will receive $56 million.

Bill Frauenhofer, executive director of Semiconductor Investment and Innovation at the Commerce Department added: “Accelerating domestic R&D across these technologies will strengthen America’s ability to convert and deliver power for the grid, advanced data centres, defence systems, and emerging fusion energy.”

Reuters reported the Commerce Department has awarded a total of 19 R&D grants to semiconductor companies, as part of the $10 billion fund under the CHIPS and Science Act approved by the government in 2022.

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