Protecting the 6 GHz Frequency Band for Utilities and Critical Infrastructure

Many electric utilities, including public power utilities, rely on the 6 GHz band of spectrum for wireless communications to operate critical electric infrastructure. In April 2020, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved an order to allow the operation of unlicensed devices in this band.The FCC approved making 1,200 megahertz of the 6 GHz band (5.925–7.125 GHz) available for unlicensed use to aid the expansion of the next generation of wireless internet technology, Wi-Fi 6E.Now the incumbent service providers must share the spectrum with unlicensed devices. What this means for utilities operators is increased potential for added interference from thousands of new devices covering the spectrum resulting in limited capacity and network interruptions.