The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Jan. 7 announced a vote to enable faster Wi-Fi and more affordable connections through the use of unlicensed devices.

The announcement from FCC Chairman Brendon Carr states that the vote, which will take place later this month, will address connectivity issues by creating a category of unlicensed devices that can operate outdoors and at higher power than previously allowed.

“President Trump is unleashing American innovation and leadership. This is great news for consumers that will benefit from even better, faster, and more affordable wireless services,” Carr said.

“By voting this month to expand unlicensed operations in the 6 GHz band, the FCC enables consumers to benefit from supercharged Wi-Fi and a new generation of wireless devices from AR/VR and IoT to a range of innovative smart devices.

“This puts America back at the forefront of technological leadership, benefiting our consumers, economy, and innovators.”

The new devices being considered for authorization by the FCC are called Geofenced Variable Power devices, referred to by the agency as GVP devices, which are promoted as capable of overcoming limitations of other devices, allowing for “higher power and outdoor mobility.”

This could mean that things like Wi-Fi will be faster, stronger, and more reliable, especially in crowded places and outdoors.

A previous FCC report states that unlicensed devices that are currently operating are often known as Low Power Indoor or Very Low Power devices, and are restricted, possibly too aggressively.

The rulemaking document states that the lower power devices “are designed to prevent the licensed services that operate in the 6 GHz band from experiencing harmful interference.”

Use of the devices that could be approved in the upcoming vote would address the lower power issue, allowing for higher-power operation more safely, using location-based controls to reduce risk.

The FCC’s announcement also asserted that the enhancements considered for a vote will facilitate “more jaw-dropping innovations and massive consumer benefits for years to come,” via growth in wireless and other industries, which will support high data rates, automation, and indoor navigation.

The change might not be welcomed by all, however, as some industry-specific groups consider the change a possible interference risk.

The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials has explicitly objected to the expansions of unlicensed use, including geofenced higher-power devices, asserting that the FCC shouldn’t expand the rules until interference issues are addressed.

“Real-world operational experience and testing should guide any future decision-making rather than risk essential public safety communications networks with theoretical models and lab testing alone,” it stated in April 2024.