O'Rielly, Rosenworcel Say April Vote on 6 GHz Order in Question Because of Coronavirus

“I was very confident that we were going to see an item very shortly,” O’Rielly said: “I’m not sure that events haven’t changed that timeline." O’Rielly said he hasn’t spoken with Chairman Ajit Pai. Staff was “working through the last couple pieces … but I have to also be mindful of everything else that’s happening and mindful of what type of commission meeting we might have,” he said.

The FCC needs to move fast since the Wi-Fi economy is already “underway,” Rosenworcel said. “I hope we can make as much spectrum available as possible” in 6 GHz “so that we see truly fast speeds and … as much innovation as we can make possible,” she said. Rosenworcel hopes the FCC will act in April, but “these are complex times and the agency might need to make some hard decisions.”

“Just want to be mindful, given the times, of all the issues logistically facing the Commission and @AjitPaiFCC,” O’Rielly tweeted after. “Still very possible and hopeful.”

O’Rielly said he has an open mind but hasn’t been convinced wireless industry proposals to license part of the band are “viable.” The wireless industry needs more licensed mid-band spectrum, he said. DOD and other incumbents oppose moving out of the band, as proposed by CTIA (see 2003120065), he said.

Relocating 6 GHz incumbents as proposed by CTIA could take 10 years or longer, Rosenworcel said. Unlicensed could share the band “fast,” she said.

Both commissioners said they would like to see low-power and very-low-power indoor use of 6 GHz, along with outdoor use. Rosenworcel said the FCC should go further than its NPRM and approve low-power indoor use through the entire band. “Hopefully that’s where we’re going to land.” O’Rielly said.

Some 70% of 5G calls are offloaded onto Wi-Fi, Rosenworcel noted. “If we don’t create more spectrum for Wi-Fi right now what we’re going to have is these super-fast licensed networks that are like being on a highway and then we’re going to get off on a gravel road,” she said. With so many students relying on broadband to learn “we have a crisis on our hands,” she said. The FCC’s E-rate program needs to fund Wi-Fi hot spots for loans from school libraries, she said: “We could fix this homework gap, but we’ve got to move fast.”

The FCC needs to look closely at “points of failure” after the current crisis is over, Rosenworcel said. “We’re going to learn that we need more Wi-Fi and the 6 GHz band is a good place to start,” she said. The FCC will likely find positive and negative developments, O’Rielly said. A breakdown is possible “at any point” in the communication network “because of load and demand,” he said: “We’re going to learn a lot and we have a lot to do.” On the response to the pandemic, O’Rielly is “willing to look at anything that’s available,” though he said the FCC is constrained by law.

O’Rielly disagrees with arguments the FCC shouldn’t change rules for the 5.9 GHz band since other unlicensed is being opened up at 6 GHz. “So much hyperbole on this subject is incredibly not helpful,” he said of auto industry comments: “We can put 5.9 to work immediately.” Rosenworcel agreed. “The back and forth slows down what we can do … and slows innovation” and could slow the economy, she said.

“We need more spectrum,” said Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Program at New America, who hosted the call: “The problem is that the spectrum bands available for Wi-Fi and unlicensed public use are becoming very congested, particularly in higher traffic areas.”

Current channel sizes are too small and the Wi-Fi bands are “becoming increasingly crowded,” said Paula Boyd, Microsoft senior director-government and regulatory affairs, on a panel. “If we want to keep up with being able to leverage Wi-Fi just in our daily life … it’s going to be critical to ensure that unlicensed spectrum is allocated across the 6 GHz band,” she said.

Prince William County Public Schools in Virginia struggles every day with keeping its 91,000 students connected, said AJ Phillips, director-information technology service. “While 5G and Wi-Fi 6 are awesome things that are coming, school districts struggle with getting their equipment up to date,” she said. Many students come to school with more than one device, so congestion is an issue, she said. One of the biggest challenges will be paying for the equipment to match the speed of new technology, she said.

“We’re all in this together and staying connected is as important as ever,” emailed Alex Roytblat, Wi-Fi Alliance senior director-worldwide regulatory affairs. “These uncertain times highlight how indispensable Wi-Fi has become to our society and economy.”