The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plans to boost unlicensed communications to new levels at its January 31 agenda meeting, creating new class of devices operating in the 6 GHz band, where wider channels are available and developers are promising impressive improvements.
Most people carry some form of Wi-Fi wherever they go. Wireless communications over the long-established Industrial Scientific Medical (ISM) bands, most prominently at 2.4 GHz, have become a need for modern consumers.
“Consumers can [benefit] from better, faster Wi-Fi and an entirely new generation of wireless devices — from AR/VR [augmented reality/virtual reality] and IoT [Internet of Things] to a range of innovative smart devices,” FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said in a recent blog post.
“We will do so through a set of forward-looking regulations that allow devices to operate at higher power while protecting incumbent users, including through geofencing systems.”
Unlicensed devices operating under Part 15 of the FCC rules transmit at very low powers covering short areas to ensure that they do not interfere with nearby licensed and unlicensed devices. Geofenced variable power (GVP) technology, which allows devices with GPS capabilities to sense the locations of other devices and their power levels. The new 6 GHz devices the FCC is paving the way for could operate interference-free at higher powers.
The leading advocates for the new devices have included high-tech companies Apple, Meta, Google, and others. They have promoted devices such as AR/AI glasses, which integrate holographic images over real-life scenes in real time.
Along with Tony Stark glasses and other new wearable devices, GVP could enable new lines of robotics and other industrial automation as well as outdoor navigation systems to support vehicle tracking for fleets and new forms of in-vehicle systems. A host of precision agriculture applications could include control and monitoring of irrigation and fertilization systems and equipment maintenance. Geofencing could assist farmers tracking livestock location and real-time heath checks.
The FCC will vote on a Report and Order raising power of unlicensed transmissions in the 6 GHz band, specifically U-NII-5 (5.925-6.425 GHz) and U-NII-7 (6.525-6.875 GHz). Licensed incumbents in those bands include satellite uplink/downlinks and various fixed microwave links. Adjacent channels include Broadcast Auxiliary Service and Cable Television Relay Service licensees.
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has been the leading opponent to GVP devices, claiming they threaten electronic newsgathering operations. “Allowing unrestrained VLP operation by millions — or even billions — of unlicensed devices amounts to letting the metaphorical ‘genie out of the bottle,’ potentially creating a radio frequency interference environment that cannot be controlled,” NAB said in comments.
However, cable TV/internet providers, who often include Wi-Fi routers integrated into their internet modems, have supported upgrading unlicensed wireless.
“The U.S. has wisely resisted efforts to block new unlicensed allocations and undermine the FCC’s great work with 6 GHz unlicensed; we hope it will continue to resist those efforts and embrace American-led technology leadership going forward,” said NCTA–The Internet and Television Association in a September 2024 ex parte letter.
