- A coalition of 58 companies and associations has called on EU policymakers to open the entire upper 6GHz band for unlicensed use, warning that failing to do so could hurt Europe’s digital competitiveness.
- The debate between Wi-Fi advocates and telecom operators over access to the 6GHz band is set to intensify, with a key meeting of the EU’s Radio Spectrum Policy Group scheduled for June 17.
What happened: Wi-Fi coalition urges EU to open full upper 6GHz band to unlicensed use
A coalition of Wi-Fi advocates has urged EU policymakers to open the entire upper 6GHz band to license-exempt use, warning that failure to do so could undermine Europe’s digital competitiveness and the effectiveness of its fibre investments. Some 58 companies and associations, including members of the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance, have signed a letter calling for unlicensed access to the full band, putting them in direct conflict with telecom operators lobbying for exclusive licensed mobile use.
The letter, addressed to EU Executive VP Henna Virkkunen, argues that Wi-Fi is essential for affordable, high-speed indoor connectivity and warns that Europe risks falling behind other regions in deploying the latest Wi-Fi standards, including Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7. The group says reserving the upper 6GHz band for Wi-Fi would support applications such as industrial IoT, smart logistics, and remote healthcare, while complementing investment in fibre, 5G, and satellite networks.
The European Commission’s Radio Spectrum Policy Group is currently weighing how to allocate the upper 6GHz band (6.425–7.125GHz), with Wi-Fi advocates and telco operators competing for access. A key meeting of the Radio Spectrum Policy Group is set for June 17 to further discuss the issue.
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Why it’s important
The outcome of this dispute is expected to be influenced by the EU’s forthcoming Digital Networks Act, scheduled for late 2025, which aims to streamline connectivity strategies across member states. The decision on the upper 6GHz band will have significant implications for the future of wireless connectivity in Europe, affecting everything from consumer Wi-Fi access to the development of new technologies and services.
