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The FCC's decision to open up 1,200MHz of spectrum in the 6 GHz band for unlicensed use was supported by a ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Unlicensed means anyone can use it, as long as they do their homework.
The new 6 GHz band is the same spectrum that has been used for the last couple of decades, but it will work with both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. It has enough room for up to seven maximum capacity streams to broadcast in the same area at the same time without using any existing spectrum.
Related.
The biggest upgrade in 20 years is coming to wi-fi.
Until recently, there was an arcane naming scheme that required you to understand if the two radios were faster than the other, and if they were just made up nonsense. Sort of.
To fix that, the Alliance renamed generations with simple version numbers. The current generation of wi-fi is called wi-fi 5. The new generation is called wi-fi 6.
Since it has been around for five years, you won't hear much about it, and the name was just given in October of last year. The simplified naming scheme is used for the wireless network, but companies seem to be on board with it.
There is work on a future standard, known as IEEE 802.11be or wi-fi 7. It is not scheduled to be complete until 2024, but it could further improve the use of the new band with larger channels, more transfer rates, and more.
The extra space in 6 GHz and 5 GHz will allow you to have a faster, more consistent connection in the future, instead of getting interference from other devices and nearby networks. A representative for the wi-fi alliance told The Verge last year that this should enable 1–2 Gbps connections over wi-fi.
AT&T argued that the FCC failed to identify and address possible interference with tens of thousands of microwave links that are critical to maintaining network infrastructure, talking about the wireless tech that keeps many cell sites connected to the wider internet. The only band suitable for long distance transmission in the 6 GHz band is the fixed service band, according to a filing spotted by Light Reading. Mobile carriers preferred a plan where the FCC would auction off a portion of the 6 GHz bandwidth for use only by their 5G networks. The FCC said that low-power indoor use protects licensed 6 GHz tech like AT&T's microwave links and TV broadcasts from interference, while "standard power" devices used indoors and outdoors could include automated frequency control to prevent interference.
Your 5G connections could be helped by the FCC's 6 GHz decision.
AT&T didn't comment on the outcome today. The FAA is objecting to the FCC's ability to use C-Band spectrum for 5G at the same time that the case is being decided. According to an FAA spokesman, landings during periods of low visibility could be limited due to concerns that the 5G signal could interfere with the accuracy of an airplane's radio altimeter.
The FCC doesn't have to show any potential for harmful interference. FCC doesn't need to protect against crazy scenarios. The FCC balances all the factors to decide if harmful interference is likely to be negligible risk.
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December 28, 2021.
The D.C. Circuit will not second-guess the technical expertise of the FCC when the agency balances the needs of both legacy licensed users and new innovations in wi-fi, says Harold Feld, senior vice president of the advocacy group Public Knowledge. FCC commissioner Brendan Carr agrees with the opinion that the FCC is the nation's lead spectrum regulator. The FCC has an assessment of the risks of interference to existing operations. Stakeholders have been told by Congress to place these determinations within the FCC's expertise.
We noted in our explainer last year that the FCC decision to open up the spectrum for unlicensed use doesn't mean that it will only be used for wi-fi. It could be used by other devices. Sometimes mobile carriers use unlicensed spectrum to add to their licensed spectrum, and it could come back into play.
Big news! The DC Circuit upheld the FCC's decision to free up the 6 GHz band for unlicensed use. It matters because it comes at a time when being connected is more important than ever.
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December 28, 2021.
The measure was decided by the previous FCC chairwoman, Trump appointee, Ajit Pai. She says that today's decision is an important step in clearing the way for next generation wi-fi access at a time when it is needed most. Modern life has migrated online. We will be able to address this challenge by offering more access in more places, faster speeds, and better performance from our wi-fi networks. It will help us in our mission to connect everyone, everywhere, and we look forward to addressing the narrow issue that the court identified.
The FCC didn't directly address the issue of interference in the 2.4 GHz spectrum that the National Association of Broadcasters raised, but backers of the plan appear confident it will be overcome.
The Commission's decision was smart, well-researched, unanimous and bipartisan, and was praised by an industry group representing companies like Amazon. We look forward to consumers getting faster, lower-latency operations in the band, which will include the next- generation of wi-fi. The court decision removes the regulatory uncertainty surrounding use of the 6 GHz band, allowing the Wi-Fi Alliance and our members to expedite delivery of the needed broadband.
