FCC Approves 6 GHz Band for Unlicensed Use, Paves Wave for Wi-Fi 6E

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted to make 1,200 megahertz of spectrum in the 6 GHz band (5.925–7.125 GHz) available for unlicensed use. This move will help usher in Wi-Fi 6, the next generation of Wi-Fi, and play a major role in the growth of the Internet of Things.

Wi-Fi 6 will be over two-and-a-half times faster than the current standard with better performance. The 6GHz band will increase the amount of spectrum available for Wi-Fi by nearly a factor of five and help improve rural connectivity.

Currently, the 6 GHz band is populated by, among others, microwave services that are used to support utilities, public safety, and wireless backhaul. The FCC says unlicensed devices will share this spectrum with incumbent licensed services under rules crafted to protect those licensed services and enable both unlicensed and licensed operations to thrive throughout the band.


The Report and Order authorizes indoor low-power operations over the full 1,200 megahertz and standard-power devices in 850 megahertz in the 6 GHz band. An automated frequency coordination system will prevent standard power access points from operating where they could cause interference to incumbent services.

The FCC is now seeking comment on a proposal to permit very low-power devices to operate across the 6 GHz band to support high data rate applications including high-performance, wearable, augmented-reality and virtual-reality devices. It also seeks comment on increasing the power at which low-power indoor access points may operate.

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