US Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the FCC, paving the way for a major Wi-Fi 6E upgrade

A ruling (PDF) on Tuesday by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit supports an April 2020 decision by the FCC to open 1,200MHz of spectrum in the 6GHz band to unlicensed use. Unlicensed means anyone can use it, as long as they do so responsibly, covering uses such as your future Wi-Fi 6e home network.

While Wi-Fi 6 connections make more reliable and efficient use of the same spectrum that has been in use for the past few decades, especially when multiple devices are connected, Wi-Fi 6e routers will operate at 2.4GHz and 5GHz plus the newer 6GHz. band. It has enough room to broadcast up to seven Wi-Fi streams in a single area without interfering with each other or using up any existing spectrum.

In addition, work is already underway on a future standard, known as IEEE 802.11b or Wi-Fi 7. It could optimize the use of the new band with even larger 320MHz channels, 46Gbps maximum transfer rates and more, but it’s not scheduled for completion until 2024 (PDF).

In the immediate future, while 6GHz Wi-Fi has the same theoretical top speed as 5GHz Wi-Fi, the extra space means that instead of receiving so much interference from other devices and nearby networks, you’ll have a faster, higher speed. There will be a compatible connection. Last year a representative of the Wi-Fi Alliance told ledge That it enables 1-2 Gbps connections over Wi-Fi, just like you see with mmWave 5G right now.

AT&T argued against the FCC’s plan, saying the commission failed to identify and address potential interference with “thousands of microwave links critical to maintaining network infrastructure” talk about wireless technology. which keeps many cell sites connected to the wider Internet. In a filing seen by light readingAT&T said, “6GHz FS [fixed service] The band is the only band suitable for long-distance transmission, supporting regular paths between 10–50 miles and, in cases, even longer distances.” Mobile carriers preferred a plan where the FCC would use 6GHz. will auction a portion of the bandwidth for use only by their 5G network. The FCC said low-power indoor use protects AT&T’s licensed 6GHz technology such as microwave links and TV broadcasts from interference, while indoors and outdoors “Standard power” equipment used outside may include automatic frequency control to prevent interference.

AT&T did not comment on the results today. However, at the same time the matter is being decided, a similar objection by the FAA is being used against the FCC to block its ability to start using C-band spectrum for 5G. As told by an FAA spokesperson ledge, “Landing during periods of low visibility may be limited due to concerns that the 5G signal may interfere with the accuracy of an airplane’s radio altimeter, without other mitigations.”

Harold Feld, senior vice president for the advocacy group Public Knowledge, says, “DC Circuit confirmed that it will not second-guess the FCC’s technical expertise when the agency balances the needs of both legacy licensed users and new innovations in Wi-Fi. ” FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr agrees, as noted in his statement, “Today’s opinion also underscores the FCC’s role as the nation’s leading spectrum regulator. It once again underscores the risks of harmful interference with existing operations.” It does so by verifying the FCC’s assessments. US leadership in wireless relies on stakeholders adhering to Congress’s long-standing decision to place these determinations entirely within the expertise of the FCC.

However, as we noted in our Wi-Fi 6E explainer last year when the FCC made this decision, opening up spectrum for unlicensed use does not reserve it exclusively for Wi-Fi. It can be used by other devices and connections, such as 5G. Sometimes mobile carriers use unlicensed spectrum to augment their licensed spectrum with technology that helps speed up connections, and this can come into play again.

New FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel continues to support the measure that was decided under her predecessor, Trump-appointed Ajit Pai. She says in a statement, “Today’s decision is an important step towards paving the way for next-generation Wi-Fi access at a time when it is needed most. In this pandemic much of modern life has gone online. 6GHz Wi-Fi will help us address this challenge by offering greater reach, faster speeds and better performance in more locations across our Wi-Fi network. It will also help us in our mission of connecting everyone, everywhere… It is encouraging to read the court’s strong approval for this work and we look forward to addressing the narrow issue identified by the court on remand.

The narrow issue she cites is a concern raised by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) about interference in 2.4GHz spectrum that the FCC did not directly address, but proponents of the plan are confident it will be addressed. .

WifiForward, an industry group representing companies such as Amazon, Google, Comcast, and Arris, praised today’s decision, saying, “The commission’s decision was smart, well-researched, unanimous, and bipartisan. We’re looking to keep consumers in the band sharp, Low-latency Wi-Fi operations are expected, which will include Wi-Fi 6e and eventually the next-generation Wi-Fi 7. The Wi-Fi Alliance, which helps establish and roll out new standards, will also A similar response was, “Today’s court ruling removed the regulatory uncertainty surrounding the use of the 6 GHz band, allowing the Wi-Fi Alliance and our members to expedite immediate delivery. Wi-Fi 6e broadband connectivity solutions are needed.”