Washington, D.C. – Today, Telecom Advisory Services released a new report demonstrating that the annual economic value of Wi-Fi will reach $2.4 trillion in 2027, a 33% increase over the 2024 value ($1.6 trillion). The 2027 estimate includes a forecasted $514 billion in consumer benefit, $624 billion in producer surplus, and $1.2 trillion in GDP contribution.

The new study seeks to reassess the significant value of Wi-Fi to the U.S. economy, following a 2021 study, to reflect the growing number of devices and data traffic consumed over Wi-Fi networks.

“This report confirms what we have long known to be true: Wi-Fi is the workhorse that powers the U.S. economy and global wireless communications,” said Mary Brown, Executive Director of WifiForward. “Opening the 7 GHz band for unlicensed use will generate even greater consumer and economic benefits, totaling at least $79.62 billion in additional value by 2027. As Congress and federal policymakers consider future spectrum legislation, we encourage them to consider the possibilities for innovation, competition and growth guaranteed by an unlicensed approach.”

As a result, the report supports future action to ensure Wi-Fi’s continued growth and U.S. leadership in developing next-generation services. This includes immediately opening the 7125-7250 MHz band under the FCC’s 6 GHz technical rules, which would instantly create a fourth Next Gen Wi-Fi channel. In addition, the report supports opening the mid-band between 7250-7625 MHz for unlicensed use and launching an analysis to use the remaining segment of the 7 GHz band for unlicensed use under the National Spectrum Strategy.

Read the full report here.

About WifiForward:

WifiForward is an ad hoc, broad-based group of companies, organizations and public sector institutions working to alleviate the Wi-Fi spectrum crunch and to support making Wi-Fi even better by finding more unlicensed spectrum.

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