Yesterday, Commissioners O’Rielly and Rosenworcel shared a letter they sent to Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda regarding the future of the 5.9 GHz band, previously allocated to a not-yet-deployed automotive technology. In it, they signal their commitment to taking a fresh look at the spectrum allocation for 5.9 GHz including making much needed spectrum available for Wi-Fi and the wireless economy. WifiForward released the following statement:
“We agree with Commissioners O’Rielly and Rosenworcel that the FCC can achieve a win-win solution for auto safety, Wi-Fi, and the wireless economy. Now is the perfect time for the Commission to take a fresh look at the rules for the 5.9 GHz band. The original allocation is nearly 20 years old, and the technology landscape has changed. Adjacent bands are now home to billions of innovative unlicensed devices, and a variety of vehicle safety technologies have overtaken DSRC. We applaud the Commissioners for their continued leadership.”