Wi-Fi Alliance lauds FCC efforts in 3.5 GHz band

Wi-Fi Alliance has released a statement which applauds the FCC's efforts toward making additional wireless spectrum available for unlicensed operations in the 3.5 GHz band.

"Unlicensed spectrum is one of the true backbones of the world economy, enabling hundreds of billions of dollars in global commerce annually," said the industry consortium. "In the U.S. alone, Wi-Fi drives an estimated $140 billion a year in commercial activity. More than 10 billion devices rely on Wi-Fi, and unlocking additional spectrum for these devices to operate will have untold benefits for the economy, users and businesses. We are pleased to see FCC allocate portions of 3.5 for unlicensed use and to facilitate shared use of licensed spectrum by unlicensed devices."

In the statement, Wi-Fi Alliance also notes that "in today’s world, where there is an exploding demand for connectivity, it is essential that the FCC’s policy enable our society to make the best use of spectrum." The consortium adds, "Unlicensed spectrum is a venue for innovation and for general public use in a fair and equitable way."

"As we have seen over the last 15 years, those principles have driven tremendous economic and end user benefit in the United States," the statement concludes. "Wi-Fi has exemplified innovation in 2.4 and 5 GHz, increasing performance and reliability while remaining a polite 'good citizen' in the band. We look forward to expanding Wi-Fi’s successes into the 3.5 GHz band, and to collaborating with FCC and other stakeholders on this important initiative."

Learn more about the Wi-Fi Alliance.