Easing the Home Connectivity Crunch

The widespread work and school closures that are disrupting daily life and the economy have highlighted how critical it is to have affordable, high-capacity internet connectivity throughout every home. Stay-at-home orders are turning homes into classrooms and offices, with parents and kids sharing available bandwidth on multiple laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

Even homes with gigabit-capable fiber or cable service are discovering that today’s Wi-Fi is constrained in supporting multiple users engaged in video conferencing, streaming video, and other high-bandwidth applications.

Beyond the current crisis, future 5G applications, such as virtual and augmented reality, will require more and more bandwidth. Smart homes and enterprises need affordable bandwidth to connect the emerging Internet of Things (IoT). In rural and small town areas, more unlicensed spectrum will allow wireless internet service providers (WISPs) to provide higher-capacity service. And in lower-income areas, enhanced Wi-Fi can help narrow the digital divide.

FCC Chairman Ajit Pai will discuss the importance of Next Generation Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 6) as a complement to 5G mobile networks and as a pillar of a world-leading 5G wireless ecosystem.

The FCC is considering two proposals to open more than 1200 megahertz of unlicensed spectrum in the 5 and 6 GHz bands capable of supporting the very wide channels of spectrum for Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 (160 megahertz and beyond) and paving the way for a new era of wireless innovation.

Responding to the Chairman’s remarks, a panel discussion featuring experts with a variety of perspectives on future use cases for Wi-Fi and wireless connectivity will join us.

Keynote Discussion:

Chairman Ajit Pai, Federal Communications Commission, @AjitPaiFCC

Discussion Panel:

Ross Marchand, @RossAMarchand
Policy Director, Taxpayer Protection Alliance

Christina Mason, @WISPAnews
Vice President for Legislative Affairs, Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA)

John Windhausen, @shlbcoalition
Executive Director, Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition

Audrey Connors, @CharterGOV
Vice President, Government Affairs, Charter Communications

Chris Szymanski, @C_Szymanski
Director, Product Marketing & Global Government Affairs, Broadcom Inc.

Michael Calabrese, @MCalabreseNAF (moderator)
Director, Wireless Future Project, New America’s Open Technology Institute