FCC opens full 6GHz band to very low-power devices

The FCC has unanimously adopted new rules to expand very-low-power device operations across all 1,200 megahertz of the 6-GHz band alongside other unlicensed and Wi-Fi-enabled devices.

Despite opposition from the NAB and other parties who have argued that opening up the spectrum would create problems for fixed microwave links, satellite uplinks and broadcast auxiliary services that use this spectrum, the FCC has in recent years been opening up parts of the 6-GHz band.

Prior to the Dec. 11 vote to open up all 1,200 megahertz for very-low-power devices, the FCC expanded unlicensed use between 5.925 and 7.125 GHz, helping to usher in Wi-Fi 6E, set the stage for Wi-Fi 7 and support the growth of the Internet of Things.

In October of 2024, FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel called for further expansion, which the NAB opposed. "As broadcasters' extraordinary efforts to help the many communities impacted by Hurricane Helene demonstrate, it is critical for the commission to ensure that broadcasters have access to spectrum that will allow them to provide these essential services in times of crisis and without interference," the NAB said in October.

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