FCC Commissioners Approve New Class of Devices for Unlicensed 6 GHz Band
The FCC on Thursday took its first major action on the unlicensed use of the 6 GHz band during the second Trump administration, approving, as expected (see 2601270047), an order permitting a new class of geofenced variable power (GVP) devices. Commissioners adopted the item unanimously with a few tweaks. The FCC is also seeking comment on other changes to the rules in a further NPRM.
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Nicholas Oros, deputy chief of the Office of Engineering and Technology’s Policy and Rules Division, said the FCC added “a very brief section” to the FNPRM seeking comment about other updates that should be made to the rules. That followed suggestions from Cisco Systems and Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
The FCC also tweaked registration requirements to further protect user privacy, as suggested by Apple (see 2601260016), Oros said. The proposed rules would have required that users provide their device serial number, but that’s now optional, he said.
GVP devices will support higher data rates for augmented and virtual reality devices, automation, short-range hot spots and indoor navigation, said an FCC news release.
The devices overcome limitations of previous device classes by allowing higher power and outdoor mobility, said Chairman Brendan Carr. “With these devices, we are finally filling an important gap left open by our previous decisions,” he said. To make that possible, geofencing can be used “to protect incumbent users from interference.”
Unlicensed spectrum is only getting more crowded, said Commissioner Anna Gomez. She noted that during the last administration, the commission addressed very low-power devices in the 6 GHz band (see 2412110040). “Those decisions propelled more innovation in wearable and virtual reality devices,” she said, and there are even more devices today that use unlicensed spectrum to connect consumers. "Innovation inspires innovation."
Commissioner Olivia Trusty said, “Unlicensed innovation is rapidly expanding into applications that demand low latency, high throughput and reliable indoor connectivity.” She highlighted how devices allowed by the rules could lead to “immersive training tools for first responders and industrial workers” and wearable devices monitoring health, fitness and environmental conditions “in real time.”
Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, said the order will “secure U.S. competitiveness” and spur economic growth. “Opening more of the 6 GHz band will supercharge the next wave of innovation, including augmented reality, virtual reality and other game-changing applications.”
The order “unlocks the next phase of Wi-Fi innovation,” said Wi-Fi Alliance CEO Kevin Robinson. “With expanded access to 6 GHz spectrum, our industry will deliver better, faster Wi-Fi and support an entirely new generation of wireless devices -- from AR/VR and IoT to a wide range of smart and immersive technologies.”
Bill Davenport, Cisco's senior director of connectivity and technology policy, said in an email that by agreeing to further examine 6 GHz Wi-Fi use on cruise ships, "the FCC is recognizing what passengers and crew have long experienced: onboard connectivity often falls short of modern expectations." The FNPRM “begins the process of updating legacy rules that constrain network performance and opens the door to faster, more reliable internet at sea.”
Also on spectrum, Carr told reporters Thursday that the FCC is working with the FAA on its NPRM on radio altimeters and the upper C band (see 2601260044). Carr said he hopes for “clarity” on the standards ahead of an auction. “We’ve got a really, really full agenda on spectrum,” he said. “We took an unlicensed action today -- C band is our big focus going forward.”