Ofcom has proposed to repurpose a portion of unused spectrum that would be used for the UK’s much delayed Emergency Services Network (ESN).

Ofcom in its consultation document said it is “proposing to make the 1900–1920 MHz (“1900 MHz”) band available for the UK’s rail network and the emergency services, maximising the use of this spectrum and supporting long term improvements to the UK’s critical national infrastructure.”

The 1900 to 1910 MHz spectrum is proposed to be used for operational rail communications. And it proposed 1910 to 1915 MHz be set aside to “enable Emergency Services Network (ESN) gateways.”

Spectrum proposals

Ofcom said it was not proposing to authorise any use in 1915 to 1920 MHz, “primarily because of the power restrictions necessary to protect the mobile band above 1920 MHz from interference, as well as uncertainty over demand for the spectrum.”

Ofcom said interest parties can respond to the consultation by 19 May 2025.

Ofcom said in the consultation document that “the licences for the 1900 MHz band had been awarded in 2000 for mobile services but have not been used. In March 2024, it completed the process to revoke existing licensees’ access to the band with five years’ notice, allowing authorisation of new users from 3 April 2029.”

Ofcom said it believes the optimal use of the 1900–1910 MHz spectrum will be for the latest 5G mobile technology for rail networks: the Future Rail Mobile Communication System (FRMCS).

FRMCS will support greater digitalisation of the UK’s railways by replacing existing 2G technology and enabling trains, signalling and workers to be better connected than before, helping to improve the running of the rail network, said Ofcom.

Meanwhile Ofcom “considers the optimal use of 1910–1915 MHz will be for providing extended coverage for the Emergency Services Network (ESN), through the use of repeater “gateways” installed on emergency vehicles such as ambulances.”

“These will enable emergency services to communicate in hard to connect locations such as underground car parks or the most remote rural areas,” it said. “This use was previously planned for 1899.9–1909.9 MHz but, given the characteristics of this service and the harmonisation of 1900–1910 MHz for FRMCS, we consider that ESN gateways can be operated in 1910–1915 MHz.”

Overdue ESN

The Emergency Services Network (ESN) in the UK is something of a touchy subject.

In January 2025 movement came when the UK government announced a new partnership with IBM “following a series of delays by previous suppliers.”

IBM will be responsible for leading the design, build and system integration of the ESN platform, and will work with the likes of Samsung, Ericsson and BT/EE to deliver it.

The Emergency Services Network (ESN) will support more than 300,000 emergency responders in Great Britain, providing them with better technology and faster access to data in emergency situations and frontline operations.

It will replace the UK’s current Airwave communications network for emergency services. Airwave Solutions had been acquired by Motorola Solutions in December 2015.

Airwave’s UK network uses Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) technology provided by Motorola Solutions, and its network is said to cover 99 percent of the UK’s landmass and allows more than 300,000 police, fire, ambulance and other emergency personnel in the UK to securely communicate with each other.

But its replacement is long overdue.

Work on the ESN began back in 2015 and was originally scheduled to go live in 2017 and then 2019.

However in 2018 deadlines were reset, after a number of technical issues and cost overruns, prompting highly critical reports from the National Audit Office and Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.

In 2023 the government confirmed that emergency service users will be expected to have moved onto the ESN by April 2029.