FCC Needs To Determine What Uses of 5.9 GHz Band Protect Life, O'Rielly Says
The FCC needs a better handle on what uses of the 5.9 GHz band protect the “safety of life” of vehicle drivers, as the agency moves forward on rules for sharing the band between Wi-Fi and dedicated short-range communications (DSRC)…
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systems designed to prevent motor vehicle accidents, FCC Commissioner Mike O’Rielly said Wednesday in a blog post. “Fundamentally, the benefits of allowing unlicensed services in the 5.9 GHz band could be considerable,” O’Rielly wrote. “The proximity to other unlicensed spectrum means the possibility of huge advancements in functionality, including gigabit Wi-Fi. Providing non-safety-of-life DSRC applications the same protection as safety-of-life uses, however, would unnecessarily restrict the use of unlicensed devices, if and when the Commission approves sharing in the band.” The FCC released a public notice last week seeking to refresh the record on the 5.9 GHz band (see 1605260059). Certain potential uses of the spectrum don’t save lives, O’Rielly said, offering a partial list. These include locating and paying for parking, electronic tolling, mapping, navigating or driving directions, advertising, any type of social media or entertainment, or traffic updates, O’Rielly said.