FCC Opens Additional 5 GHz Spectrum, Harmonizing with Global Rules

The FCC made available an additional 255 megahertz of spectrum in the 5.470-5.725 GHz band for used by Radio Local Area Networks (RLANs) and unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) devices. This increases the spectrum available for use by unlicensed devices in the 5 GHz region of the spectrum by nearly 80% -- and is a significant increase in the spectrum available for unlicensed devices across the overall radio spectrum. The FCC order will also harmonize the spectrum available for these U-NII devices throughout the world, enabling manufacturers to reduce product development costs by allowing the same products to be used in many parts of the world.


In order to provide U.S. federal government users with additional protection from harmful interference, the order requires that U-NII devices operating in the 5.250 5.350 GHz and the 5.470 5.725 GHz bands employ dynamic frequency selection (DFS) -- a listen-before-talk mechanism -- and transmit power control (TPC).
http://www.fcc.gov