WifiFoward, along with Citizens Against Government Waste and New America Foundation’s Open Technology Institute, hosted “A Full Spectrum Future” on Wednesday to discuss smart spectrum policies. At the event, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced plans to take a “fresh look” at the 5.9 GHz band for unlicensed use. Doing so would provide more airwaves for Wi-Fi, allowing for faster speeds and clearing the way for Wi-Fi 6.
Chairman Pai kicked off the event by explaining the benefits of opening up the 5.9 GHz band. “After 20 years of seeing these prime airwaves go largely unused, the time has come for the FCC to take a fresh look at the 5.9 GHz band,” Pai said. “I’m pleased to announce that today, I shared with my FCC colleagues a proposal to end the uncertainty around the 5.9 GHz band and set a path for the deployment of new services. Specifically, I’m proposing to make available the lower 45 MHz of the band for unlicensed uses like Wi-Fi.”
Chairman Pai explained that Wi-Fi connectivity is now central to the lives of most Americans. “It binds together all our phones and laptops. It has become a foundational technology for the ‘Internet of Things’, connecting our TVs, thermostats, baby monitors, refrigerators, washing machines, toys, and even toilets,” he stated.
The event also featured five panelists who provided color to the Chairman’s announcement. These experts stressed the significance of this proposed rulemaking and discussed the benefits Americans will gain from super-fast Wi-Fi 6 technology. While the proposal would only open up about 45 MHz, this band will “pack a punch” because it can be combined with the existing 5 GHz Wi-Fi band, creating the first 160 MHz channel, ushering in this new generation of wireless connectivity.
This year marks the twentieth anniversary of Wi-Fi technology and Wednesday’s announcement by Chairman Pai initiates the first step in a huge leap forward for wireless internet. WifiForward and our members wholeheartedly support the Commission’s common-sense move to take a fresh look at the 5.9 GHz band for Wi-Fi, which will turn a stagnant resource into fuel for our wireless economy. Thank you to our speakers and guests for making our “Full Spectrum Future” event a historic one!