Regulators’ Dilemma: Making Radio Spectrum Room for the Wireless Tsunami

As ever more smartphones move to market, industry execs and regulators alike are warning of a shortfall in Wi-Fi spectrum, prompting some to ask: Where can we find enough space on the radio band to accommodate the increased traffic?

One solution proposed by the Wi-Fi AllianceOpens a new window , a nonprofit association of tech manufacturers, is to give the public a portion of the 6 gigahertz radio band.

“The idea,” said technology writer Darren Allen, “is to provide fresh bandwidth which will have less interference from existing Wi-Fi 4 or 5 devices.”

The 6 GHz band would offer contiguous spectrum blocks capable of accommodating 14 additional 80-MHz channels and seven additional 160-MHz channels. That’s enough radio spectrum for a cornucopia of new Internet of ThingsOpens a new window devices as well as for high definition video streaming and virtual reality devices that require even more data.

The improvements will allow many Wi-Fi users to hold strong connections simultaneously –  even those living in densely populated areas.

The capabilities of so-called “Wi-Fi 6E” are expected to push demand for smart devices even higher, contributing to the $1 trillion market that wireless networks are predicted to generate in the United States by 2023.

“If spectrum is made available early this year, we expect momentum of products that support operation in 6 GHz to ramp up very quickly,” saysOpens a new window Phil Solis, the research director at the International Data Corporation, a telecom market research company. “The capacity of 6 GHz is enormous and will be efficiently used by Wi-Fi 6 and newer versions of Wi-Fi. The US is taking a big lead on the 6 GHz market, with Europe and Asian regions also exploring access to this band.”

Why Wi-Fi 6E?

The name Wi-Fi 6E was created for the devices that use it to help people understand if a given device is compatible with the new radio spectrum. The designation lets consumers know that a device will have access to the 6 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum. Devices currently in use with a Wi-Fi 6 designation will continue to operate on the 5 GHz spectrum.

Wi-Fi 6E expands the gains made by the previous Wi-Fi 6 standard, which had access to the 2.5 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies. Wi-Fi 6E will have this same access but will also include the 6 GHz spectrum. It will maintain the data transfer rate improvements of Wi-Fi 6: 9.6 gigabits per second as opposed to 3.5 Gb/s for Wi-Fi 5.

The relevance of Wi-Fi 6E will come into play if, when and how the 6 GHz spectrum is made available by other countries around the world. Currently, the radio spectrum and devices developed to take advantage of it are early stage.

In the United States, the 6 GHz spectrum is unlicensed and regulatory approval by the Federal Communications Commission, while not automatic, is expected.

Several big tech companies including Apple, Microsoft and Google argue the entire band should remain unlicense but the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association,Opens a new window a lobby supported by first responders and law enforcement agencies, has opposed the move and is pushing the FCC to split the band between licensed and unlicensed users.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai described the dilemma faced by the commission to an audience of Washington, D.C., tech executives: “The 6 GHz band is populated by microwave services that are used to support utilities, public safety and wireless backhaul. Each of these serves an important function that we must protect. But studies have shown that sharing this band with unlicensed operations is feasible and can put massive amounts of new spectrum into the hands of consumers.

“We’re working through some complex technical issues both internally and with outside stakeholders. But questions remain, and the clock is always ticking. So I urge you to help us find creative solutions.”