The US Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) decision to free up extra Wi-Fi spectrum will be an “economic boon”, one expert believes.
According to theregister.co.uk, the FCC voted unanimously to make an extra 100MHz of the 5GHz band available for wireless devices. The new spectrum will be used to ease congestion in both homes and crowded public places, the group says.
It is thought that the move will clear the way for providers to offer connections with speeds of up to one gigabit. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel says this will have long-lasting benefits for the US economy.
She was quoted by pcadvisor.co.uk as saying: “This change will have real impact, because we are doubling the unlicensed bandwidth in the 5GHz band overnight.”
According to Ms Rosenworcel, the extra unlicensed spectrum will allow for more experimentation and, in turn, innovation.
She added: “The power of unlicensed goes beyond on-ramps to the Internet and off-loading for licensed [mobile] services. It is the power of setting aside more of our airwaves for experiment and innovation without license. It is bound to yield new and exciting developments.”
The move comes just days after US network giant Cisco Systems revealed its new Aironet 27000 access point. The latest product in the company’s 802.11ac portfolio is set to provide a major boost to the accessibility of one gigabit Wi-Fi for America’s businesses and consumers.
