Utilities, Responders Renew Critique of FCC’s Wi-Fi Sharing Plan

Power companies, first responders and railroads are intensifying criticism of the Federal Communications Commission’s plan to allow Wi-Fi traffic on the 6 GHz band of airwaves they currently use. In a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai the groups wrote, "Given the significant risk that the proposed unlicensed operations could have on mission-critical networks that are used to protect the safety of life, health and property, and provide essential services to individuals, businesses, governments and others across the nation, unlicensed operations should only be permitted in the 6 GHz band if the Commission adopts more stringent interference protections for co-channel and adjacent channel microwave systems, including proven technology to mitigate the risk of interference by prior coordination of unlicensed operations, as discussed below."