- Ofcom is now implementing its proposal to use more 6GHz spectrum for Wi-Fi and mobile broadband
- The upper band of 6GHz will be used for better performance in both cases, although it will be Wi-Fi only to start with
- 6G mobile will be part of the recipe in the 2030s, and both Wi-Fi and 6G will be able to share the same frequency band thanks to Automated Frequency Coordination technology, which has been compared to air traffic control
Ofcom aims to boost Wi-Fi speeds in the UK, and eventually mobile data too, by opening up more of the 6GHz spectrum to facilitate this improved connectivity.
So far only the lower band of the 6GHz spectrum has been used, but following an earlier consultation Ofcom has just turned on the use of the upper band, from 6425Mhz to 7125MHz. The idea is that Wi-Fi will get priority access to the lower 160MHz slice of this upper band (6425 to 6585MHz), with “non-priority access” to the rest (6585 to 7125MHz).
The idea is that the largest part of the spectrum will be shared between Wi-Fi and mobile broadband, with the latter getting priority – although mobile won’t happen until the 2030s. For now, only the Wi-Fi spectrum is expanding in the UK. As Ofcom puts it: “This approach allows earlier use of the band via Wi-Fi, while preserving the ability of mobile network operators (MNOs) to introduce mobile services in the future.”
Notably, this is the first time that both cellular and Wi-Fi services will be allowed to share the same frequency band, and this is facilitated by a technology known as AFC, or Automated Frequency Coordination.
As Ofcom explains, this has not been possible before due to the risk of crossed signals and interference therein, but AFC – which is effectively like an ‘air traffic control system’ for wireless signals – means that bands can now be shared in this way.
David Willis, Group Director for Spectrum at Ofcom, commented: “Everyone in the UK wants faster Wi-Fi and better mobile performance. Our decision today will allow mobile and Wi-Fi services to share the airwaves in the future, helping to make this need a reality.”
Note that a router must support Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 to tap into the 6GHz spectrum, and of course the devices you want to use on the wireless network must too.
Analysis: a flexible solution
So this move brings more bandwidth and therefore more breathing room to wireless signals in the UK, starting with Wi-Fi and paving the way for next-generation 6G mobile connections down the road.
The end result will be faster performance and greater capacity in dense environments where many devices are trying to grab bandwidth, such as apartment blocks, offices or stadiums. Ofcom notes that in the latter case: “Outdoor and higher power consumption is also permitted, but only where devices operate under the control of an Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) system.”
The sharing approach using AFC makes sense in terms of giving both Wi-Fi users and mobile network operators a piece of the pie, and it provides a good deal of flexibility for deployment. In remote or rural areas, for example, where 6G is not deployed, the entire higher part of the spectrum will always be available for Wi-Fi use.
Of course, the proof will be in the pudding with the rollout in busier areas and how AFC actually works in signal-dense environments.
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