NCC mulls utilization of 6GHz for Wi-Fi

By Joy Baba-Yesufu

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that plans are in motion to migrate 5GHz and 2.4GHz to 6GHz that are currently being used for Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 5) in line with best global practices.

The commission further said the 6GHz band, spanning from 5925 MHz to 7125 MHz, offers a substantial increase in available spectrum, which is crucial for supporting the growing demand for high-speed internet and advanced applications Wi-Fi which plays a crucial role in the distribution of fixed broadband connectivity in homes, offices, and various other environments.

Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the commission, Dr Aminu Maida made this known at the Annual Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum on Emerging Technologies held in Lagos.

The EVC also said all their actions are guided by decisions that take into cognizance the inputs from all stakeholders in the industry.

He said “in line with one of the key factors on collaboration as outlined in our focus areas and the Commission’s traditionally institutionalized policy of participatory regulation and the practice of industry-wide consultations in conducting its regulatory functions, we are here again to elicit your comments and inputs on the use of the 6GHz for Wi-Fi – 6 and International Mobile Telecommunications (MT).

“The 6GHz band, spanning from 5925 MHz to 7125 MHz, offers a substantial increase in available spectrum, which is crucial for supporting the growing demand for high-speed internet and advanced applications Wi-Fi plays a crucial role in the distribution of fixed broadband connectivity in homes, offices, and various other environments.

“The vast majority of home internet traffic is connected to the end-user through Wi-Fi. In enterprise settings, Wi-Fi is essential for handling large amounts of data and simultaneously connecting large numbers of devices with improved reliability, higher data throughput, and lower latencies.

“However, the 5GHz and 2.4GHz that are being used for Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 5) at the moment are becoming overwhelmed due to an increase in demand for capacity. It is, therefore, imperative to identify other frequency bands to complement the 5GHz and 2.4GHz”

He further said that the recently concluded 2023 World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-23) allocated the 6GHz band for Wi-Fi and IMT applications with different recommendations on how to use the band. “This was the outcome of a long study cycle process leading to the decision at the WRC-2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates” he noted.