Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The upper 6 gigahertz band is fracturing among national lines after a verdict from regulatory bodies in the UK and the EU. While the US enjoys full Wi-Fi access along the entire 1200 megahertz, the EU has decided to reserve most of the upper band for mobile services, and the UK is testing a split priority model. Keith breaks down why your data sheets may start to mislead you in global rollouts and how to design networks with confidence in this new regulatory landscape.
AdSpot Sponsor: Meter
Meter delivers full-stack networking—wired, wireless, and cellular—to leading enterprises. It’s a single integrated solution with everything included. Meter has designed the hardware, written the firmware, and built the software. Meter deploys and manages everything required at your site, or sites, so that you get performant, reliable, and secure connectivity. If you’re ready for fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of managing multiple providers or tools, it’s time to check out Meter. Go to meter.com/heavywireless to book a demo now!
Links:
FCC Opens 6 GHz Band to Wi-Fi and Other Unlicensed Uses - FCC - fcc.gov/document/fcc-opens-6-ghz-band-wi-fi-and-other-unlicensed-uses-0
FCC Fact Sheet - April 2, 2020 (PDF) - docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/doc-363490a1.pdf
FCC 6 GHz Update Fact Sheet - Nov 2024 (PDF) - docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-407628A1.pdf
Expanding access to the 6 GHz band for commercial mobile and Wi-Fi services (PDF) - Ofcom - ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/consultations/category-3-4-weeks/consultation-expanding-access-to-the-6-ghz-band-for-commercial-mobile-and-wi-fi-services/main-document/expanding-access-to-the-6-ghz-band-for-commercial-mobile-and-wi-fi-services.pdf
Statement and further consultation: Expanding access to the 6 GHz band for commercial mobile and Wi-Fi services - Ofcom - ofcom.org.uk/spectrum/innovative-use-of-spectrum/consultation-expanding-access-to-the-6-ghz-band-for-commercial-mobile-and-wi-fi-services
Mandate to the CEPT (PDF) - CEPT - cept.org/files/1412/Mandate%20to%20CEPT%20upper%206%20GHz%20band.pdf
Upper 6 GHz - Outcome of the 2023 ITU-R WRC-23 - IEEE - ieee802.org/11/email/stds-802-11/msg07844.html
Ofcom maps out split-priority approach for upper 6 GHz band - RCR Wireless - rcrwireless.com/20260109/policy/ofcom-6-ghz
Ofcom publishes statement and launches further consultation on 6 GHz spectrum sharing - techUK - techuk.org/resource/ofcom-publishes-statement-and-launches-further-consultation-on-6-ghz-spectrum-sharing.html
Ofcom proposes sharing 6GHz band between Mobile and Wi-Fi - thinkbroadband - thinkbroadband.com/news/ofcom-proposes-sharing-6ghz-band-between-mobile-and-wi-fi
Ofcom sets out plans for mobile, Wi-Fi to share upper 6 GHz spectrum band - Computer Weekly - computerweekly.com/news/366637063/Ofcom-sets-out-plans-for-mobile-Wi-Fi-to-share-upper-6-GHz-spectrum-band
WRC-23 and the unresolved battle for 6 GHz - IIC Intermedia - iicintermedia.org/vol-52-issue-1/wrc-23-and-the-unresolved-battle-for-6-ghz
Special Feature: The Road to WRC-23: Regional Bodies Debate the Future of the Upper 6 GHz Band - Wi-Fi Alliance - wi-fi.org/beacon/the-beacon/special-feature-the-road-to-wrc-23-regional-bodies-debate-the-future-of-the-upper
Wi-Fi 7 and the Growing Future of Wireless Design Guide - Cisco - cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/networking/wireless/wifi7-future-of-wireless-dg.html
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) Technical Guide - Cisco - documentation.meraki.com/Wireless/Design_and_Configure/Architecture_and_Best_Practices/Wi-Fi_7_(802.11be)_Technical_Guide
Innovation, productivity – and common sense: Contrasting UK and EU proposals for upper 6 GHz Wi-Fi regulation - Wi-Fi NOW Global - wifinowglobal.com/news-blog/innovation-productivity-and-common-sense-contrasting-uk-and-eu-proposals-for-for-upper-6-ghz-wi-fi-regulation
GUEST PAPER: What Ofcom’s ‘Better Together’ 6 GHz plan means for Wi-Fi, mobile, & the EU - Wi-Fi NOW Global - wifinowglobal.com/news-and-blog/guest-paper-what-ofcoms-better-together-6-ghz-plan-means-for-wi-fi-mobile-the-eu
Socio-economic benefits of IMT versus RLAN in the 6425-7125 MHz band in Europe (PDF) - Dynamic Spectrum Alliance - dynamicspectrumalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/DSA-Report-6425-7125-MHz-EU-Study.pdf
Heavy Wireless is part of the Packet Pushers network. Visit our website to find more great networking and technology podcasts, along with tutorial videos, the Human Infrastructure newsletter, and loads more resources for building your IT career. packetpushers.net
The upper 6 gigahertz band is fracturing among national lines after a verdict from regulatory bodies in the UK and the EU. While the US enjoys full Wi-Fi access along the entire 1200 megahertz, the EU has decided to reserve most of the upper band for mobile services, and the UK is testing a split priority model. Keith breaks down why your data sheets may start to mislead you in global rollouts and how to design networks with confidence in this new regulatory landscape.
AdSpot Sponsor: Meter
Meter delivers full-stack networking—wired, wireless, and cellular—to leading enterprises. It’s a single integrated solution with everything included. Meter has designed the hardware, written the firmware, and built the software. Meter deploys and manages everything required at your site, or sites, so that you get performant, reliable, and secure connectivity. If you’re ready for fast, secure, and scalable connectivity without the complexity of managing multiple providers or tools, it’s time to check out Meter. Go to meter.com/heavywireless to book a demo now!
Links:
FCC Opens 6 GHz Band to Wi-Fi and Other Unlicensed Uses - FCC - fcc.gov/document/fcc-opens-6-ghz-band-wi-fi-and-other-unlicensed-uses-0
FCC Fact Sheet - April 2, 2020 (PDF) - docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/doc-363490a1.pdf
FCC 6 GHz Update Fact Sheet - Nov 2024 (PDF) - docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-407628A1.pdf
Expanding access to the 6 GHz band for commercial mobile and Wi-Fi services (PDF) - Ofcom - ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/consultations/category-3-4-weeks/consultation-expanding-access-to-the-6-ghz-band-for-commercial-mobile-and-wi-fi-services/main-document/expanding-access-to-the-6-ghz-band-for-commercial-mobile-and-wi-fi-services.pdf
Statement and further consultation: Expanding access to the 6 GHz band for commercial mobile and Wi-Fi services - Ofcom - ofcom.org.uk/spectrum/innovative-use-of-spectrum/consultation-expanding-access-to-the-6-ghz-band-for-commercial-mobile-and-wi-fi-services
Mandate to the CEPT (PDF) - CEPT - cept.org/files/1412/Mandate%20to%20CEPT%20upper%206%20GHz%20band.pdf
Upper 6 GHz - Outcome of the 2023 ITU-R WRC-23 - IEEE - ieee802.org/11/email/stds-802-11/msg07844.html
Ofcom maps out split-priority approach for upper 6 GHz band - RCR Wireless - rcrwireless.com/20260109/policy/ofcom-6-ghz
Ofcom publishes statement and launches further consultation on 6 GHz spectrum sharing - techUK - techuk.org/resource/ofcom-publishes-statement-and-launches-further-consultation-on-6-ghz-spectrum-sharing.html
Ofcom proposes sharing 6GHz band between Mobile and Wi-Fi - thinkbroadband - thinkbroadband.com/news/ofcom-proposes-sharing-6ghz-band-between-mobile-and-wi-fi
Ofcom sets out plans for mobile, Wi-Fi to share upper 6 GHz spectrum band - Computer Weekly - computerweekly.com/news/366637063/Ofcom-sets-out-plans-for-mobile-Wi-Fi-to-share-upper-6-GHz-spectrum-band
WRC-23 and the unresolved battle for 6 GHz - IIC Intermedia - iicintermedia.org/vol-52-issue-1/wrc-23-and-the-unresolved-battle-for-6-ghz
Special Feature: The Road to WRC-23: Regional Bodies Debate the Future of the Upper 6 GHz Band - Wi-Fi Alliance - wi-fi.org/beacon/the-beacon/special-feature-the-road-to-wrc-23-regional-bodies-debate-the-future-of-the-upper
Wi-Fi 7 and the Growing Future of Wireless Design Guide - Cisco - cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/networking/wireless/wifi7-future-of-wireless-dg.html
Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) Technical Guide - Cisco - documentation.meraki.com/Wireless/Design_and_Configure/Architecture_and_Best_Practices/Wi-Fi_7_(802.11be)_Technical_Guide
Innovation, productivity – and common sense: Contrasting UK and EU proposals for upper 6 GHz Wi-Fi regulation - Wi-Fi NOW Global - wifinowglobal.com/news-blog/innovation-productivity-and-common-sense-contrasting-uk-and-eu-proposals-for-for-upper-6-ghz-wi-fi-regulation
GUEST PAPER: What Ofcom’s ‘Better Together’ 6 GHz plan means for Wi-Fi, mobile, & the EU - Wi-Fi NOW Global - wifinowglobal.com/news-and-blog/guest-paper-what-ofcoms-better-together-6-ghz-plan-means-for-wi-fi-mobile-the-eu
Socio-economic benefits of IMT versus RLAN in the 6425-7125 MHz band in Europe (PDF) - Dynamic Spectrum Alliance - dynamicspectrumalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/DSA-Report-6425-7125-MHz-EU-Study.pdf
Heavy Wireless is part of the Packet Pushers network. Visit our website to find more great networking and technology podcasts, along with tutorial videos, the Human Infrastructure newsletter, and loads more resources for building your IT career. packetpushers.net
