Wi-Fi 6 officially arrived in September 2019 with the promise of revolutionizing Internet connections. Now, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted unanimously in favor of opening a band on the 6 GHz band spectrum in the United States. The decision means that soon, more stable connections will arrive for equipment compatible with Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, the even faster version "of the wireless network.
According to the FCC, the decision to open a band in the 6 GHz band spectrum for use without the need for a license is one of its most ambitious bets ever. The largest spectrum opening since 1989 will allow to release around 1,200 MHz of bandwidth, and can accommodate up to 7 channels of 160 MHz.
Latency turns out to be the lowest bandwidth of 6 GHz, as there are not yet many older Wi-Fi devices operating. Thus, the track has the potential to become an exclusive highway for equipment compatible with the latest generation of Wi-Fi.
In January of this year, the Wi-Fi Alliance had already announced the new designation Wi-Fi 6E for equipment operating in the 6 GHz band spectrum range. The entity supports the decision taken by the FCC and, according to CEO Edgar Figueroa, opening the banner will guarantee the future of Wi-Fi.
Remember that Wi-Fi 6 guarantees a higher network speed, up to 9.6 Gbps, about 3.5 Gbps more than the previous generation. But the consistency and stability that are highlighted, since it allows you to connect more equipment to the network without losing connection quality. Currently it is already possible to use the sixth generation wireless network through compatible equipment, be it, for example, a smartphone or a router. SAPO TEK has already compiled a short Q&A document with the main doubts of wireless connection technology.
In Portugal, about a month after the official launch of Wi-Fi 6, Altice announced the Fiber GateWay orouter, prepared for the new generation of Wi-Fi 6 connections, at Techdays, in Aveiro. The equipment was designed at Altice Labs and aims to be an innovative solution for connections via Smart Mesh Wi-Fi.
At Altice's innovation center in Aveiro, the operator is already preparing new services and products. In March of this year, the operator opened the doors of Altice Labs to showcase some of the innovations it is developing, revealing that it is already paving the way for WiFi 7.