Very-Low-Power Devices Critical Part of 6 GHz Mix, Major Tech Players Say

Tech companies said very-low-power devices, which don’t require automatic frequency control, are critical as the FCC looks at Wi-Fi in the 6 GHz band. VLP devices can be used for augmented- and virtual-reality, headphones, game controllers, keyboards, hearing aids and other applications, said Apple, Broadcom, Facebook and Google in a filing posted Thursday in docket 18-295. “The VLP device class would ensure that the 6 GHz band supports a class of technologies that our companies see as central to the next generation of wireless innovation -- personal area networks,” the companies said: “Not only are higher powers unnecessary for these devices, they are counterproductive because personal area devices are smaller and battery-driven, requiring extreme energy efficiency.” The four and other companies, including Cisco, Intel, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Qualcomm, proposed “a simple rule to identify a class of fixed client devices for certification purposes” in a second filing. CTA spoke with aides to Pai about the band: “CTA has a keen interest in ensuring the availability of spectrum needed to enable the widespread adoption of connected devices and services.”