in the United States, the FCC validates the provision of 1,200 MHz of spectrum in the 6 GHz band, for unlicensed use

Wi-Fi is experiencing its greatest upgrade since the introduction of the 802.11a standard in 1999. In fact, in the United States, the telecommunications regulator, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission), which also paved the way for Wi- Fi in 1989, adopted rules on April 23 which make 1,200 MHz of spectrum available in the 6 GHz band (5,925-7,125 GHz) for unlicensed use.

Wi-Fi 6 will then be two and a half times faster than the current standard and will offer better performance for consumers. Opening the 6 GHz band for unlicensed use will also increase the amount of spectrum available for Wi-Fi by a factor of almost five and help improve rural connectivity, the FCC added.

Until then, the 6 GHz band is notably occupied by microwave services which are used to support public services, public security and wireless links. Now unlicensed devices will share this spectrum with services licensed under rules designed to protect these services and allow licensed and unlicensed operations to thrive across the band, says the Commission.

The commission is thus considering new technologies and new innovative services which will make it possible to supply new devices and applications to American consumers and to advance the Commission’s objective of making broadband connectivity accessible to all Americans, in particular those in rural and underserved places.

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The reaction of the Wi-Fi Alliance and its members

This announcement is welcomed by the Wi-Fi Alliance, the global network of companies that offer Wi-Fi. He particularly congratulates the President of the FCC for the capital decision to maintain the technological leadership of the United States, to maximize public benefit of the 6 GHz spectrum resources and unleashing the power of ubiquitous Wi-Fi connectivity by moving forward with the 6 GHz control.

For Henry Samueli, co-founder of Broadcom Corporation, the statement positions the United States as the world leader in next generation 5G services.

In this unprecedented period where connectivity and powerful Wi-Fi are more important than ever, people deserve to have the latest Wi-Fi speeds, seamless Internet connectivity, advanced parental controls and more, Jen Warren says. Belkin International, an American computer hardware manufacturer.

The FCC’s prospective action to allocate the largest block of medium spectrum for unlicensed use builds on its success in creating the Wi-Fi industry and promises to usher in the next era of American innovation without constraint for world markets. Thanks to President Pai’s leadership, as well as the hard work of other FCC commissioners and engineers, this order will allow consumers and businesses to collaborate and innovate at the rapid pace of emerging applications and the exponential growth of connected devices. Wi-Fi, says Keerti Melkote, president of Intelligent Edge for Helwett Packard Enterprise and founder of Aruba Networks.

For its part, Metin Taskin of AirTies indicates that the addition of Wi-Fi 6 GHz will have a profound impact on consumers and operators. () This is essential, as more and more people work from home and rely on home videoconferencing for work, distance education, medicine, etc. AirTies is looking forward to the day when we begin to integrate 6 GHz solutions for operators to improve home Wi-Fi.

For his part, Gregory Bryant of Intel said: Our country’s dependence on digital connectivity is more evident than ever, and this report and order will help create significant new capacity, thereby ensuring solid future growth for the company. Wi-Fi ecosystem on which millions of homes and businesses depend. Intel looks forward to continuing to work with its partners to promote innovative use cases.

Qualcomm joins the Wi-Fi Alliance to offer its full support to the FCC’s decision to allocate the 6 GHz band for unlicensed operations and to applaud President Pai and the commissioners. We are ready to offer a full range of Wi-Fi 6E products covering the fields of mobile telephony, personal computing, cars and networks using this new spectrum, as we demonstrated in February. The 6 GHz band offers unrivaled possibilities for Wi-Fi, unleashing the full potential and power of the next generation of high-performance devices, says Rahul Patel of Qualcomm Technologies.

What about Europe?

In Europe, the Wi-Fi 6E standard is still in the making. LECC (European Communications Committee), one of the five sub-organizations of the European Conference of Post and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT), which brings together 48 European countries including France, should take a decision within a few months. And the work currently being carried out covers a spectrum of 500 MHz (5,925 6,425 GHz).

Sources: FCC, Wi-Fi Alliance

And you ?

What do you think of this FCC statement?
When do you think a similar decision would be announced in Europe?