6 GHz actuality test — the place do issues actually stand?

With the conclusion of the 2023 World Radiocommunications Convention (WRC-23) in December got here proclamations {that a} international consensus on mid-band spectrum harmonization, particularly the 6 GHz band, was achieved. The GSMA, for example, declared that “6 GHz spectrum is now the harmonised residence for the growth of cellular capability for 5G-Superior and past.”

Nonetheless, Broadcom’s Director of Product Advertising Christopher Szymanski informed RCR Wi-fi Information that that is clearly not the case given the variance in parts of spectrum recognized and the situations during which the spectrum was allotted. Europe, the Center East, and Africa (EMEA) recognized 6425-7125 MHz for Worldwide Cell Telecommunications (IMT), noting that this band can be used for deployment of RLANs (e.g., Wi-Fi). The APAC area was given the 7025-7125 MHz band as their IMT allocation (Cambodia, Laos and Maldives had been exceptions and acquired the complete 6425-7125 GHz band for IMT). There was no identification within the Americas apart from Mexico and Brazil, which recognized IMT for 6425-7125.

Moreover, Szymanski commented that most of the assumptions underlying the technical research and demand assessments don’t seem to replicate actuality.

Shifting goalposts

In fewer than three months after the WRC’s choice on IMT allocations for the 6 GHz band, the goalposts had been already shifting. Particularly, the IMT group is now saying that the ability studied for IMT was inadequate, that wider deployment of base stations than was contemplated is required and that tools won’t be prepared for a very long time. In Hong Kong, for instance, cellular operators have suggested the area’s regulator that its plans to public sale components of the higher 6 GHz band within the first quarter of 2025 for IMT utilization are untimely as a result of lack of an ecosystem and out there tools on this band.

“They’re already demonstrating that the assumptions that they used to display compatibility with current companies went out the window,” mentioned Szymanski, explaining that now, the IMT group is saying they will’t meet the market necessities in an affordable timeline. “The ink isn’t even dry on the WRC printout, they usually’re saying the examine parameters aren’t practical for a industrial deployment, which simply exhibits that the research undertaken had been inadequate for administrations to find out actual world affect from an IMT identification,” he mentioned.

Creating and destroying worth

Wi-Fi tools, in distinction, can create worth in these spectrum bands at this time if regulators take motion.  In response to the Wi-Fi Alliance there will probably be greater than 807 million 6 GHz Wi-Fi Gadgets shipped earlier than the top of 2024. “Wi-Fi wants this spectrum proper now,” acknowledged Szymanski. “The objective in having all 1200 MHz for Wi-Fi is ensuring that whether or not it’s a managed deployment or a residential deployment, there’s a excessive likelihood for dependable excessive throughput and low latency wi-fi broadband entry.”

Whereas some extra technologically superior international locations resembling the US and South Korea have opened up the entire 6 GHz band, there are international locations — like these in Europe —which have solely opened the decrease a part of the 6 GHz band and are learning how one can allow extra sturdy use of the higher 6 GHz band (e.g., IMT use, Wi-Fi use, or some shared/hybrid use).  These international locations taking this incremental method might discover {that a} delay in opening the higher a part of the 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi will delay the financial worth that may be unlocked even after the band is opened.

It’s because all of the consumer units which were shipped into these markets earlier than extra spectrum is opened within the 6 GHz band will probably be constrained to working in solely the decrease 6 GHz. It’s going to take a few years for units which might be transport at this time to be utterly faraway from the market. So, that implies that 100% of 6 GHz enabled Wi-Fi units will have the ability to function within the decrease 6 GHz, however possibly lower than 50% of the units will have the ability to function within the higher 6 GHz even two or three years after this band is opened up.

In consequence, will probably be tough to plan networks utilizing these higher 6 GHz channels as a result of a smartphone or laptop computer pc might not have the ability to entry these frequencies. Regulators may mitigate this danger by permitting consumer tools to be licensed to function over the complete 6 GHz band. There can be primarily no danger as a result of these units won’t transmit on a frequency until an entry level is licensed and might function on that frequency.

“Worth is already being created and destroyed as a result of each one in every of my chipsets operates over the complete band and we’re limiting it functionally via software program,” mentioned Szymanski. “Until administrations take motion, there will probably be a networking bias to make use of the decrease frequencies for a few years.”