WASHINGTON—Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr said the agency will vote this month on an order to expand the unlicensed use in the 6 GHz band with the creation of a new category of unlicensed devices—GVP devices, or geofenced variable power devices—which can operate outdoors and at higher power than previously authorized devices.
GVP devices will support high data rates suitable for AR/VR, short-range hotspots, automation,and indoor navigation. GVP devices will overcome limitations of previous device classes by allowing higher power and outdoor mobility.
The vote will occur at the FCC’s Jan. 29 monthly open meeting on Jan. 29. The proposed order and materials relating to other items on the tentative agenda are available here.
“By voting this month to expand unlicensed operations in the 6 GHz band, the FCC enables consumers to benefit from supercharged Wi-Fi and a new generation of wireless devices—from AR/VR and IoT to a range of innovative smart devices,” Carr said in a statement. “This puts America back at the forefront of technological leadership, benefiting our consumers, economy, and innovators.”
In announcing the vote, the FCC said: “Geofenced variable power (GVP) devices promise to overcome technical and regulatory constraints of other low power devices such as low-power indoor (LPI) and very-low-power (VLP) devices. GVP devices offer data rates suitable for reality/virtual reality, short-range hotspots, automation processes and indoor location and navigation because they operate at significantly higher power than VLP devices. At the same time, GVP devices need not be restricted indoors, as is the case with LPI. These benefits will be made possible by restricting GVP devices from operating in exclusion zones on certain frequencies to protect incumbent licensed services from any significant risk of harmful interference.”
In addition to the proposed order creating a new category of GVP devices, the commission will seek comment on proposals that could provide more utility for unlicensed devices in the 6 GHz band.
Specifically, the FCC would seek comment on a proposal to allow composite standard-power and LPI access points to operate with additional power under certain circumstances, and a proposal to permit LPI access points to operate on cruise ships.
