Spectrum

Electromagnetic frequencies used for wireless communications

FCC Grants Limited, Conditional Waiver to Support Wireless Medical Telemetry Services

The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau adopted a conditional waiver to allow TerreStar to begin offering wireless medical telemetry services (WMTS) in the 1.4 GHz band. With the COVID-19 outbreak causing increased reliance on medical telemetry monitoring in hospitals and on telehealth in general, this action will help ensure that traditional health care facilities have more spectrum capacity to meet a surge of additional monitoring demands that may occur in emergencies.

FCC Grants MIT Waiver Request of Part 15 Rules for Indoor Health Monitoring Device

The Federal Communications Commission announced that it has adopted under delegated authority a request by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for a waiver of the  FCC’s rules for unlicensed devices to permit the certification and marketing of its WiTrack system. WiTrack is a wall-mounted system that allows caregivers to remotely monitor the health and safety of patients and senior adults without physical contact.

AT&T, T-Mobile butt heads with Comcast, Wi-Fi in 5.9 GHz melee

The 5.9 GHz band is at the center of several fights as the Federal Communications Commission considers opening the band for Wi-Fi after years of the spectrum laying mostly fallow. The week of April 20, the FCC adopted a plan to make 1,200 megahertz of 6 GHz spectrum, which is next door to the 5.9 band, available for unlicensed use. That was considered a watershed moment for the Wi-Fi industry, and while that was a complicated proceeding, the 5.9 GHz band has been described as even more so.

Public Interest Groups Call for 5.9 GHz WiFi Spectrum

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society joined Public Knowledge and New America's Open Technology Institute in the push to open up the lower 45 MHz of the 5.9 GHz band for Wi-Fi, spectrum heretofore entirely reserved for vehicle-to-vehicle communications (V2V). The other 30 MHz would remain reserved for V2V under a proposal the Federal Communications Commission is considering. In reply comments to the FCC, the groups said that the pandemic-driven work-at-home environment has "upped the urgency" for freeing up more spectrum for unlicensed Wi-Fi broadband connections. "The gigabit-fa

Delay Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Opening

The Colorado Broadband Office (CBO) wrote to ask Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai to extend the October 22, 2020 opening of the FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund 904 Auction (RDOF 904 Auction) and the Rural Tribal Window timeline, set to close on August 3, 2020, by 180 days respectively. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that the internet is critical infrastructure and having the ability to virtually conduct business, video conferences with medical professionals, and access online education has become essential for everyone, everywhere.

Verizon Bags More 4G Airwaves From Investors

Verizon will improve its 4G capacity in New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Indiana, and Kentucky thanks to a deal with two companies you've probably never heard of—Spotlight Media and MCG—according to Brian Goemmer from Allnet Insights. Spotlight and MCG are controlled by the family of Michael Gelfand, a Florida doctor with a long history of investing in wireless.

Reactions to FCC Opening Up 6GHz Band to Wi-Fi and Other Unlicensed Uses

The Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously to allow the entire 1200 MHz of the 6 GHz band to be shared with unlicensed Wi-Fi, the FCC's latest move in freeing up more spectrum for connecting 5G in-home devices — video streaming, video calls — and connecting IoT devices to the internet.

Reactions from FCC Commissioners

FCC Opens 6 GHz Band to Wi-Fi and Other Unlicensed Uses

The Federal Communications Commission adopted rules that make 1,200 megahertz of spectrum in the 6 GHz band (5.925–7.125 GHz) available for unlicensed use. These new rules will usher in Wi-Fi 6, the next generation of Wi-Fi, and play a major role in the growth of the Internet of Things. Wi-Fi 6 will be over two-and-a-half times faster than the current standard and will offer better performance for American consumers. Opening the 6 GHz band for unlicensed use will also increase the amount of spectrum available for Wi-Fi by nearly a factor of five and help improve rural connectivity.

FCC Announces Tentative Agenda for May Open Meeting

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai announced the tentatively for the agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, May 13, 2020:

FCC Unanimously Approves Ligado's Application To Facilitate 5G And Internet Of Things Services

The Federal Communications Commission announced that it has approved with conditions Ligado’s application to deploy a low-power terrestrial nationwide network in the L-Band that will primarily support 5G and Internet of Things services.