• October 5, 2023

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On Wednesday, September 27, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced it will consider a proposal to allow very low power (VLP) devices to operate in the 6 GHz band alongside other Wi-Fi-enabled devices. If this proposal is accepted, it will enable cutting-edge applications that will help businesses, improve learning opportunities, advance healthcare opportunities, and more.

The 6 GHz band is an important part of the next generation Wi-Fi operations. In recent years, the FCC has expanded unlicensed use in 1,200 MHz of spectrum between 5.925 and 7.125 GHz. This ultimately helped kickstart Wi-Fi 6 and played a vital role in the growth of IoT.

“Countless innovations that have made our lives easier and more convenient are dependent on unlicensed spectrum. The 6 GHz band has already improved the Wi-Fi that we rely on every day for work, school, entertainment, and innovation.” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “I hope my colleagues will join me to foster a new wave of innovation in devices that will benefit consumers in exciting ways and bolster U.S. leadership in advanced wireless technologies.”

This proposal will continue to build on the momentum created by the 6 GHz band to authorize VLP operations in the U-NII-5 and U-NII-7 portions of the 6 GHz band totaling 850 megahertz of spectrum. Operations at power levels up to -5 dBm/MHz could occur anywhere, indoors or outdoors, without any need for a frequency coordination system.

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Sources:

broadbandbreakfast.com/2023/09/fcc-looking-to-open-6-gigahertz-band-to-very-low-power-devices/

docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-397285A1.pdf