It’s summer and the hot topic this season, in DC and around the country, is infrastructure. But what may be overlooked in this conversation is that spectrum — the invisible airwaves that wirelessly connect our phones, laptops and other devices — is also infrastructure and it is a critical part of the digital equation.

Photo by: Jackson David

Our airwaves are crowded and unfortunately, they don’t grow on trees, meaning that there are very few empty swaths of spectrum without active users. But the 5.9 GHz and 6 GHz bands offer a rare exception. Today, the 5.9 GHz band is almost completely unused and the 6 GHz band offers opportunities for shared spectrum access. Both have great potential to push Wi-Fi innovation into the next generation.

Thankfully, last year, the FCC unanimously voted to split the 5.9 GHz band between Wi-Fi and auto safety applications and open the full 6 GHz band for unlicensed use indoors. These decisions came at a time when Americans needed more Wi-Fi more than ever for telehealth, remote learning, working from home, stream, gaming and everything in between.

We’ve already had huge successes deploying unlicensed technologies in the 5.9 GHz band. During the pandemic, the FCC unanimously passed an order that allowed more than one hundred Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) to use the band for added broadband capacity. It was a resounding success that increased bandwidth and enabled thousands, particularly those in rural areas, to access vital services during the pandemic.

And the 6 GHz band is where the innovation is happening to propel Wi-Fi forward, into the next generation of technologies. In fact, a report from Wi-Fi Alliance forecasts that Wi-Fi 6/6E technologies will add $527.5 billion to the global economy in 2025. And earlier this year, FCC Acting Chair Rosenworcel spoke to the innovation in the 6 GHz band saying “we’re going to see new devices… that will improve the way we use technology, especially in homes and offices. I think there’s a lot of innovation coming our way as a result.”

Spectrum and Wi-Fi are American success stories. The U.S. is the global leader in this area and we must work to ensure spectrum stay in the critical infrastructure conversation.