Previously, the ultra-fast, short-range 6GHz band was mostly limited to licensed commercial use, but now the FCC is allowing companies like Apple to use more of the band for unlicensed consumer products. Apple, Microsoft, Facebook and other companies applied to the FCC in 2019 for unlicensed use of all 1,200 megahertz of spectrum in the 6GHz band.
The rules to allow unauthorized devices to use 6GHz were drafted in 2020 and finally adopted on October 19, 2023.
According to a document released by the FCC, more of the 6GHz band is available for unlicensed use for extremely low-power device operation. The distinction between ultra-low power devices provides protection against interference with permitted uses, such as telecommunications uses.
Devices can take advantage of high-speed data transmission over short distances as long as they operate in the U-NII-5 and U-NII-7 portions of the 6GHz band (850 MHz in total). While this information is not actionable for consumers, it is useful for product development and will enhance the device's future functionality.
The Federal Communications Commission previously opened up the 1,200 MHz spectrum range between 5.925 and 7.125 GHz, a decision that led to the implementation of Wi-Fi 6E and will bring Wi-Fi 7.
For example, close-range low-power device operation may be suitable for CarPlay systems, future AirTag models, Apple HomeKit devices and Apple Vision Pro. As devices run larger and larger amounts of data, 6GHz bandwidth will become increasingly important.