The FCC sets a vote for expanding Wi-Fi into the 6GHz band:
The Federal Communications Commission announced a potentially significant step for Wi-Fi today, with plans for an April 23 vote on a proposal to open the 6GHz band for unlicensed Wi-Fi use. Doing so would free up more than 1,200MHz of additional bandwidth for next-gen Wi-Fi 6E devices with antennas and chipsets capable of tapping into the extra spectrum.
"To accommodate that increase in Wi-Fi demand, the FCC is aiming to increase the supply of Wi-Fi spectrum with our boldest initiative yet: making the entire 6GHz band available for unlicensed use," reads the FCC's announcement. "By doing this, we would effectively increase the amount of spectrum available for Wi-Fi almost by a factor of five. This would be a huge benefit to consumers and innovators across the nation. It would be another step toward increasing the capacity of our country's networks. And it would help advance even further our leadership in next generation wireless technologies, including 5G."
With more than twice as much bandwidth as the 5GHz band used by Wi-Fi devices today, the 6GHz band could accommodate up to seven 160MHz channels at once. Latency stands to be a lot lower on the 6GHz band too, because there aren't any existing, older-gen Wi-Fi devices operating in that spectrum to slow things down. That gives the 6GHz band the potential to serve as an exclusive, multilane expressway for Wi-Fi devices equipped to take advantage, all of them using Wi-Fi 6, the newest, fastest and most efficient version of Wi-Fi.
The announcement of a vote on opening the 6GHz band for unlicensed Wi-Fi use comes months after FCC Chairman Ajit Pai signaled his support for the move.
"This band is currently populated by microwave services that are used to support utilities, public safety and wireless backhaul," Pai said in September of 2019. "But studies have shown that sharing this band with unlicensed operations is feasible, and can put massive amounts of new spectrum into the hands of consumers."
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The FCC ratified Wi-Fi 6E this morning (Thursday April 23):
During the Federal Communications Commission's monthly meeting today, it ratified unlicensed use of the 6GHz radio frequency spectrum in the USA. This decision opens the way for the proposed Wi-Fi 6E standard to move forward.
[...] Although the FCC was widely expected to unanimously ratify unlicensed use of 6GHz spectrum in general, the associated usage rules were less certain. Until today, the 6GHz spectrum was for licensed use only—but that doesn't mean it isn't already in use.
Licensed use of the 6GHz spectrum includes point-to-point microwave backhaul (used by commercial wireless providers), telephone and utility communication, and control links. It also includes Cable Television Relay Links—which are mobile links used by newscasters doing onsite live reporting—and radio astronomy.
The truly excellent news for Wi-Fi 6E backers—and future users—is that the FCC has ratified unlicensed use of the entire 1.2GHz spectrum for low-power indoor devices. Separating unlicensed outdoor and high-powered usage from indoor and low power allows for the maximum utility of spectrum in the most common (and most crowded) Wi-Fi environments, while preserving the utility of incumbent licensed users.
[...] With usable rules for unlicensed 6GHz spectrum use defined, we broadly expect to see Wi-Fi 6E devices beginning to become available to consumers in late 2020 or early 2021.
Previously: Wi-Fi Alliance Announces Wi-Fi 6E for Devices Operating in the 6 GHz Band
The FCC Sets a Vote for Expanding Wi-Fi into the 6GHz Band
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 04 2020, @04:03PM (5 children)
I'd like that more
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday April 04 2020, @05:09PM (4 children)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11ax [wikipedia.org]
I looked it up and didn't find anything other than repetitions of that information.
However, there is this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEEE_802.11ah [wikipedia.org]
Where's the adoption? Crickets.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 4, Insightful) by NateMich on Saturday April 04 2020, @05:15PM (3 children)
900MHz wifi sounds pretty cool to me. The 5GHz I have now is great, when I'm right by the router.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday April 04 2020, @06:52PM (2 children)
What's great is using all of the bands at the same time. So 6 GHz is a good addition, 6 GHz + 0.9-1 GHz is even better.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 04 2020, @08:01PM (1 child)
Moar bandz!!
And how does that solve the capacity issues? We'll need more lanes for the superinformation highway that get filled with single occupant SUV shitheads like yourself.
(Score: 3, Funny) by takyon on Saturday April 04 2020, @08:21PM
You should hang out in public places, and get a little human contact for once.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Dr Spin on Saturday April 04 2020, @04:13PM (1 child)
If 5G causes Corona virus (and I was sent 9 videos in the last 24 hours saying it does) then 6GHz will give us even more viruses.
Quick: bury your head in the sand now, while there is still time!
Warning: Opening your mouth may invalidate your brain!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 04 2020, @07:44PM
>> 5G causes coronavirus
That's just a goofy conspiracy theory. The truth is that the Gates Foundation developed and released the virus, after Bill shorted the stock markets first. In a month or two, after he's covered his short sales, you'll see the Foundation release a new vaccine. The government will force everyone to get vaccinated with this "vaccine"... when in reality it's a mind-control drug that makes you want to install Windows 10. Apple is so fucked now.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 04 2020, @04:29PM (2 children)
I can feel my head cooking already.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday April 04 2020, @05:10PM (1 child)
5G causes coronavirus, while Wi-Fi 6E cures it.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 05 2020, @09:09AM
There's another G.
Get the fuck off your phone and grow the fuck up. Do something else. Christ!