The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) has decided to open up the entire 6 GHz band to be made in use for very low-power (VLP) devices. This would allow these devices to operate across a wide range of frequencies, and could potentially improve many services that people use every day, such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, AR and VR devices, portable internet hotspots, as well as IoT devices.
VLP devices are usually small gadgets that use minimal energy to transmit data over short distances. Since they operate at low power, they can connect quickly and efficiently without causing much interference with other devices. This makes them perfect to be used in wearable tech, augmented reality, and even in-car gadgets.
Currently, VLP devices primarily operate on the 5GHz band, within the frequency ranges of 5.925 to 6.425GHz (U-NII-5) and 6.525 to 6.875GHz (U-NII-7). A lot of unlicensed applications, including Wi-Fi 6E and the upcoming Wi-Fi 7, make the use of these bands. Now that the entire 6GHz is open for VLP devices, these would be able to operate on 6.425-6.525GHz (U-NII-6) and 6.875-7.125 GHz (U-NII-8) portions of the band, making the connectivity more seamless.
The FCC's new rules will allow these VLP devices to use 350 megahertz of spectrum in specific parts of the 6 GHz band. This is in addition to the already approved usage in other parts of the band. Opening up for the entire frequency means that these devices won't have to be restricted on where they can operate. They also won't need to be controlled by complex systems that manage frequency use. Instead, they would just follow simple rules to help prevent interference with other existing services.
The VLP devices operating on 6GHz band will have to follow specific guidelines such as contention-based protocol (that allows multiple devices to share the same frequency by taking turns to transmit data). VLP devices must also implement transmit power control using which they can adjust their transmission power based on the surrounding environment and conditions, ensuring they do not transmit stronger signals than necessary.
The FCC, in its statement, also says that this expansion would have a positive impact on the economy. Unlicensed tech like Wi-Fi could potentially generate significant economic activity in the coming years by motivating manufacturers to make more devices that could connect and communicate effectively with each other.
Source: FCC (PDF)