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I thought we'd dodged a networking bullet when the US Budget bill, aka the "One Big Beautiful Bill (BBB)," didn't include a freeze on AI regulation, which had been tied to broadband funding from the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program.
However, I missed the point that the bill still includes provisions that could force the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to auction off significant portions of the 6GHz spectrum currently reserved for unlicensed Wi-Fi use.
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These provisions won't make users of advanced Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 networking gear happy. With my Netgear Orbi 970, I've seen speeds of up to 2Gbps, thanks in part to its use of the 6GHz band.
I'm not alone. Newer Apple iPhones, Samsung Galaxy, and Pixel devices, along with recent MacBooks, iPads, Xbox Series X and S, and Lenovo ThinkPads, can all use Wi-Fi 6 and/or 7's 6GHz band.
This band, spanning from 5.925 to 7.125 GHz, was opened for unlicensed use in 2020. These frequencies have become critical as the demand for wireless connectivity surges in homes, businesses, and public spaces. Its range is short, about 50 feet indoors, with a clear line of sight between the router and the devices.
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So, why would cellular companies want this band? According to the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), the global mobile network operators trade association, the 6GHz band is necessary for 5G "for mobile to flourish and meet demand by 2030."
Not all mobile companies agree. AT&T, for one, doesn't see a need for the additional bandwidth. AT&T CFO Pascal Desroches, at a tech conference, said: "We think it's a good thing long term for the industry to have more spectrum. But there is no pressing need that I feel like we have to go out and acquire spectrum in the next 12, 24, even 36 months."
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