Trump and Congress finalize law that could hurt your Wi-Fi

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has regained the authority to conduct spectrum auctions, a move that may significantly impact Wi-Fi networks. The recent legislative changes could allow the FCC to reallocate spectrum currently utilized for Wi-Fi to major mobile carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. This shift was outlined in a Senate budget proposal introduced by Senator Ted Cruz from Texas, which suggested auctioning off at least 800 MHz of spectrum. Notably, part of this spectrum could be taken from the 6 GHz band, a crucial frequency that enhances the performance of the latest Wi-Fi technology. Initially, the House voted to protect the entire 6 GHz band from being auctioned off, but in a narrow 218-214 decision, it ultimately accepted the Senate's proposal when passing the final budget bill on July 3. President Trump subsequently signed this legislation into law on July 4. Additionally, the new law permits the reallocation of spectrum from the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS), which operates within the 3.55 to 3.7 GHz range. While there are other spectrum bands that could be affected, experts believe that fulfilling the congressional mandate will likely necessitate taking spectrum from Wi-Fi or CBRS. The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA), which advocates for smaller ISPs, expressed concerns that many of its members rely on CBRS and 6 GHz services to provide broadband access to rural and underserved areas. While WISPA acknowledged the potential tax benefits of the new law, it warned that these advantages might be overshadowed by the implications of the spectrum auction policies, which could jeopardize access to critical bandwidth for community connectivity.