FCC proposal could bring outdoor, higher-power Wi-Fi to 6 GHz band

Upcoming vote could unlock faster wireless for immersive tech, robotics, and short-range hotspots

by · TechSpot

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Looking ahead: A forthcoming FCC vote could usher in a new generation of Wi-Fi hardware capable of operating at significantly higher power across the 6 GHz band – a move expected to reshape connectivity for AR, VR, and automation technologies. The proposal, scheduled for decision on January 29, would authorize a new class of geofenced variable power (GVP) devices designed to operate both indoors and outdoors while maintaining strict protections for existing spectrum users.

Unlike current low-power indoor (LPI) and very-low-power (VLP) systems, GVP devices will operate at higher energy levels – up to 11 dBm per MHz power spectral density and 24 dBm equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) – giving them greater range, throughput, and reliability.

This power bump could enable stable short-range hotspots and support emerging applications such as real-time AR mapping, precision indoor navigation, and factory automation systems that rely on sub-millisecond latency.

Because the 6 GHz band is already shared by fixed microwave links and radio astronomy observatories, the defining feature of these devices is their built-in geofencing capability. Each unit will rely on digital geographic boundaries that limit transmissions in protected areas, adjusting power levels or disabling specific frequencies when operating near restricted coordinates.

The planned GVP category marks a technical leap over the tightly constrained indoor-only devices that currently define the 6 GHz ecosystem. Until now, LPI devices have been prohibited from outdoor operation to avoid interference. Engineers and policy advocates say the FCC's new framework could support Wi-Fi 7 and next-generation device ecosystems built around high-bandwidth, low-latency performance.

A draft version of the FCC order also opens the door to further expanding indoor device power, including a proposal to allow composite access points that combine standard-power and LPI modes to extend in-building coverage. Future deliberations may even explore authorizing LPI Wi-Fi systems aboard cruise ships.

For the Wi-Fi community, which has long argued that current power ceilings inhibit next-generation performance, this order signals regulatory momentum. Michael Calabrese of New America's Open Technology Institute told Ars Technica that the move is a "long-awaited win for consumers and developers," adding that stronger power allowances will better support devices streaming data-intensive content or connecting peripherals wirelessly.

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While the FCC's latest plan enjoys broad backing from consumer groups and the cable industry, it lands amid ongoing tension over how the agency allocates spectrum between licensed carriers and shared Wi-Fi users.

Congress and the Trump administration passed a 2025 law requiring the auction of at least 800 MHz of non-federal spectrum, leaving open the possibility that a portion of the 6 GHz band could still be reallocated to mobile networks.

Calabrese and other advocates now view that risk as diminished. With federal officials framing 6 GHz Wi-Fi expansion as a White House technology achievement, political momentum has shifted toward retaining the full 1,200 MHz for unlicensed use. Instead, analysts expect more pressure on the CBRS band (3550 – 3700 MHz), where carriers are lobbying for additional licensed capacity.

Major industry stakeholders, including the cable lobby group NCTA, have also thrown support behind the FCC's direction. "With Wi-Fi now carrying nearly 90 percent of mobile data, securing more unlicensed spectrum is essential to meet demand and sustain reliable connectivity," the group said in a statement.