FCC unanimously approves a proposal to open up a majority of the 5.9 GHz airwaves for WiFi and other unlicensed uses

On December 12, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unanimously approved a proposal to open up a majority of the 5.9 GHz airwaves for WiFi and other unlicensed uses. Two decades ago, this band was reserved for auto safety technology but since that time, it has remained largely untapped for that purpose.

The 75 MHz is allocated under the FCC-approved plan as follows:

45 MHz (of the 75 MHz) in the band is for unlicensed uses including Wi-Fi

20 MHz for alternative auto safety technology (known as Cellular Vehicle to Everything, or C-V2X)

10 MHz -- the FCC will seek comments to determine which auto safety technology will be eligible to use these airwaves

As the country transitions to 5g, stakeholders including various public interest groups, cable companies, Microsoft and Samsung supported the FCC’s action as a way to encourage WiFi innovation through new wideband channels that can deliver faster speeds, among other improvements. There may continue to be some pushback from some in the transportation industry and the Department of Transportation, which have argued in favor of preserving the full 75 MHz for auto safety.

Public Comment: The plan as proposed, will be subject to a “notice and comment” rulemaking. This proposal will be published as a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register for public comment. Once published, members of the public typically have 30 days to submit comments. Under this process, the FCC seeks public comments on the proposed rule, and takes these views under consideration, before final approval. NAMM will continue to gather and post relevant information regarding this issue here at NAMM.org.