This past week, there seemed to be some confusion surrounding the 5.9 GHz band and what it provides to both Wi-Fi technology and the future of smart transportation. Today, WifiForward would like to provide a sort of “level-set” on the band, how it was modernized last year and how it’s being used in the United States.
First, let’s go back in time a bit and provide a brief history of the band. Twenty years ago, the auto industry was assigned the 5.9 GHz spectrum with the industry’s promise that they would use it to further “intelligent traffic” systems. This tech, however, never caught on in the market. Public Knowledge’s Harold Feld penned an op-ed in TechDirt late last year that laid out a comprehensive history of the band and made clear the argument for reclaiming 5.9 GHz in the name of rural broadband and Wi-Fi for all Americans.
With all of this in mind, in November of last year, the FCC voted unanimously (!) to modernize the 5.9 GHz band to make the tech usable for both auto safety and Wi-Fi technology. The FCC vote was a momentous one and it created the first-ever usable 160 MHz wide Wi-Fi channel that will make networks even better and faster.
So the FCC made this massive decision to modernize the 5.9 GHz band last year, but it’s important to ask: why Wi-Fi?
For starters, amidst a once-in-a-generation pandemic, it’s literally life-saving. It connects us to essential services — to doctors, teachers, colleagues and customers. It has made social distancing possible and it saves lives. Take a look at this blog on how Wi-Fi has kept the healthcare system afloat throughout the duration of the COVID-19 crisis. Additionally, here is another on how Wi-Fi is helping end the pandemic by assisting at-home testing and vaccine distribution.
Beyond healthcare outcomes, Wi-Fi is also critical to closing the digital divide in America—an issue that has become more apparent than ever with everyone working and living from home. Wi-Fi and other unlicensed technology is the most ubiquitous and widely available way to access high-speed broadband and will enable next-generation technologies like Wi-Fi 6. For more on the importance of Wi-Fi to closing the divide, take a look at our two-pager here.
Finally, Wi-Fi is an absolutely essential feature to both the American and global economy. Per research from the Wi-Fi Alliance, the global economic impact of Wi-Fi is forecasted to reach $3.3 trillion this year and is expected to climb to an eye-popping $4.9 trillion by 2025, an estimate that’s grown by 150% since last measured in 2018. See here for a full rundown of the Wi-Fi Alliance study on the economic impact of Wi-Fi.
In closing, the FCC made a smart and bipartisan decision on the 5.9 GHz band. It’s good for the auto industry, good for consumers and, most importantly, good for our connected future.