Wi-Fi has been commonly used for years to connect to the internet, either at home, at work or in public places (known as ‘hotspots’). The technology, based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) wireless communication standard 802.11, is based on unlicensed spectrum.

The newest generation of Wi-Fi is known as Wi-Fi 6. Wi-Fi 6 includes devices that can operate in the 6 GHz spectrum band, referred to as Wi-Fi 6 extended (Wi-Fi 6E).

Wi-Fi service provision has traditionally been based on the use of unlicensed spectrum in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.

The suitability of the 6 GHz band (5,925—7,125 MHz) for either (unlicensed) Wi-Fi use or (licensed) mobile broadband service, has however put the future allocation of this spectrum in the spotlight.

The issue is on the agenda of the next World Radiocommunications Conference that will take place in Dubai in 2023 (WRC-23). However, several policymakers around the world have already decided how to allocate the 6 GHz band in their respective countries, a new Cullen International Global Trends report outlines.

For more information and to access the report, please click on “Access the full content” - or on “Request Access”, in case you are not subscribed to the Global Trends service.