new mobile virtual and augmented reality devices are coming soon, thanks to the fcc’s ruling.
by rick richardson
technology this week
on the same day it voted to restore net neutrality laws, the fcc unanimously approved plans by several tech companies to use the 6ghz range for wireless devices.
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fcc chair jessica rosenworcel suggested the new regulations, and they would allow meager power (vlp) operations – which means their signals won’t be able to travel very far – in about 850 mhz of the spectrum. under the regulations, devices may “use higher power levels” if they are geofenced to avoid interfering with genuine permitted 6ghz usage. additionally, the fcc will be accepting opinions on ways it can increase the use of the 6ghz spectrum by technological devices.
according to a september bloomberg article, among the devices that could become available because of the fcc’s approval are mobile virtual reality and augmented reality devices, in-car connectivity, and more.
the fcc first allowed wi-fi routers and client devices (such as smartphones or laptops) to use 1,200 hz of the 6ghz spectrum without a license, allowing residential networks far greater wireless overhead than the old wi-fi standards already had. thanks to this recent permission, the spectrum is now more widely available for usage.
microsoft, google, apple and meta are among the tech firms that asked the fcc to provide them access to the 6ghz band in 2019. the choice might help some of the trickier initiatives businesses have been working on, including ar glasses. apple, google and meta – which have developed smart glasses but not the reality-augmenting variety – have all experienced issues in that area. the companies (and anyone else who wants to) now have more connectivity freedom than they did in the past, thanks to the opening of additional spectrum.
kevin martin, vice president of policy for north america at meta, applauded the choice in a statement. martin said, “we commend the fcc’s decision allowing companies like ours to use new wireless technologies to build the next wave of computing. this is a shining example of a government regulator working with industry early to build for the future.”