Tarana & Scot-Tel-Gould launch 6 GHz trial in Aberdeen

Tarana and Scot-Tel-Gould plan to run a 6 GHz fixed wireless trial in the Aberdeen area under an Ofcom experimental licence.

Scot-Tel-Gould will deploy Tarana's G1 6 GHz Base Nodes and test the platform's four-carrier mode as regulators develop rules for standard-power outdoor use of the band. The work comes as Ofcom advances an Automated Frequency Coordination framework to manage access to shared spectrum while protecting existing users.

The trial extends the companies' existing relationship in Scotland. Scot-Tel-Gould is already using Tarana equipment in the Huntly 5G Project, which began connecting homes around Huntly, Aberdeenshire, in June 2025.

The project is funded by the Aberdeen City Region Deal and delivered by the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society, with a focus on rural areas where geography, vegetation and limited infrastructure have made broadband deployment more difficult.

Regulatory backdrop

Ofcom's proposed approach for the 6 GHz band would allow standard-power outdoor use through Automated Frequency Coordination, a system that assigns spectrum access in a shared environment. The framework also reflects the view that fixed wireless systems can manage interference through methods such as beamforming and radio management, rather than relying on the access methods more commonly associated with Wi-Fi.

For operators, access to more spectrum could provide another way to add network capacity where broadband demand is rising and fixed-line deployment remains difficult or costly. The Aberdeen trial is intended to test how that model performs under local conditions.

Tarana's G1 platform can use four independent 40 MHz carriers in the 6 GHz band and support up to 1.6 Gbps of aggregate capacity per link. The system is already certified for commercial 6 GHz operation using Automated Frequency Coordination in the United States and Canada.

That certification gives Tarana operational experience as the UK develops its own coordinated spectrum-sharing model. Trials such as this may also be watched by other markets considering whether to release more spectrum for broadband services.

Scottish focus

The Huntly 5G Project marked Tarana's first live deployment in Scotland, and the new trial builds on that work. For Scot-Tel-Gould, the Aberdeen-area test offers a chance to compare the technology's performance in a new spectrum band while continuing to target areas that have struggled with reliable connectivity.

Ivo Lansky, Business Lead for Europe, UK & Central Asia at Tarana, linked the project to the wider policy debate around the 6 GHz band.

"Ofcom's work to open 6 GHz for standard-power outdoor use gives broadband providers an important new resource for expanding capacity and reaching more communities," said Lansky.

"The framework recognizes that modern wireless technologies can manage interference in different ways while making efficient use of shared spectrum. We've seen what G1 can deliver in shared spectrum at scale, and this trial with Scot-Tel-Gould gives us an opportunity to build on the work already underway in Scotland," said Lansky.

Scot-Tel-Gould management described the test as a practical next step after the Huntly deployment. It is also expected to produce technical evidence that may be relevant as the UK moves from experimental use toward commercial arrangements for the band.

"Having seen what Tarana's technology can achieve through the Huntly 5G Project, this trial represents an important next stage in our work together," said Georgi Hristov, Technical Director at Scot-Tel-Gould.

"Trialing G1's four-carrier mode in the 6 GHz band will allow us to test its capabilities under real network conditions in Scotland. It is an opportunity to generate practical evidence that can help shape the commercial use of this spectrum and demonstrate its potential for fixed wireless operators across the UK," said Hristov.

Tarana has attracted more than USD $500 million in investment since its founding in 2009. Its technology is used by more than 500 internet service providers across 32 countries and 48 U.S. states.