TE S T & ME ASUREMENT HANDBOOK
What you should know about Wi-Fi 6 in the 6 GHz band EVE DANEL | LITEPOINT
While there are still interference issues to be resolved, new specifications for Wi-Fi in the 6-GHz band will bring instantly better wireless performance.
Channel 1
Channel 1
Wi-Fi technology turns 20 this year, and it has proven to be successful beyond the wildest expectations. The recent announcement by the FCC to consider allowing 1,200 MHz of spectrum in the 6 GHz band for unlicensed use, as well as similar work in the E.U., promises to free up enough spectrum to move
Local AP
Neighbor AP
Channel 38 (40 MHz)
Channel 36 (20 MHz)
Local AP
Neighbor AP
Wi-Fi forward into a new era of high performance. In late 2018, the FCC released a notice of proposed rulemaking to promote new opportunities for unlicensed use in portions of the 1,200 MHz of spectrum in the 5.925-7.125 (6 GHz) band. WiFi users should rejoice, as Wi-Fi in the 6-GHz band could become a reality in 2020. To understand why this event is cause for celebration, we examine the reasons that make the 6 GHz band compelling for unlicensed use and why additional spectrum is so badly needed to sustain Wi-Fi growth. Cisco’s annual Mobile Visual Networking Index (VNI) forecasts that by 2022, Wi-Fi will carry 51% of global IP traffic, more than any other wired or wireless access technology, while the total number of Wi-Fi hotspots (including home spots) is expected to reach 549 million by 2022. Wi-Fi carries more internet traffic than any other wireless technology. And this took place despite an available frequency range of less than 600 MHz (70 MHz in the 2.4-GHz band, 500 MHz in the 5-GHz band). But a study commissioned by the Wi-Fi Alliance predicts an 800-MHz spectrum shortfall to handle traffic by 2020, with that shortfall growing to 1.12 GHz by 2025. The study stresses the importance of making available continuous spectrum to enable 160-MHz-wide channels (or future 320 MHz). The 6-GHz band and its 1,200 MHz of contiguous spectrum can fulfill the growth requirements, and this is why the FCC is currently considering it.
14
DESIGN WORLD — EE NETWORK
Litepoint — Test and Measurement HB 06-19.indd 14
6 • 2019
Chan 38 Chan 36 5,170 MHz
5,190 MHz
5,210 MHz
Devices on the same channel and on adjacent or overlapping channels can be part of the same contention domain.
eeworldonline.com | designworldonline.com
6/10/19 9:28 AM
