Wi-Fi 6E: 6 GHz WLAN could come in mid-2021

With the new Wi-Fi 6E standard , the industry association for WLAN, the Wi-Fi Alliance, wants to expand the spectrum used for wireless technology for the first time in 17 years. After approval in the USA by the FCC control authority , approval in Germany and Europe could take place in mid-2021, as confirmed by the Federal Network Agency at the request of Golem.de.

The working group responsible for frequency management (WG-FM) has now completed the technical work for this. Approval and implementation of the rules made is therefore very likely. The WG-FM is part of the Electronic Communications Committee (ECC). The national regulatory authorities such as the German Federal Network Agency are represented in this. The primary task of the committee is to harmonize the possible uses of communication technology and regulations throughout Europe.

The responsible working group has now implemented this for 6 GHz WiFi and submitted its draft to the ECC for publication . According to the Federal Network Agency, this draft will “probably be finally adopted in November 2020″ . There is also a report, “which recommends that the European Commission regulate the technical conditions for the introduction of WLAN in the 6 GHz range in a binding manner for all EU member states. Once the decisions are implemented, the use of 6 GHz WLAN in Germany and Europe is expected possible from mid-2021 “ .

The still new WLAN standard 802.11ax alias Wi-Fi 6 already provides for the use of wireless technology in the higher frequency bands. With the release for Wi-Fi 6E, more channels with widths of 80 MHz (up to 14) or 160 MHz (up to 7) are available for use. That would be a massive increase compared to the five 80 MHz channels available to date or only two 160 MHz channels. These broad channels are particularly important for high data transmission rates, for example to achieve gigabit WLAN.