Today, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Pai announced that the agency would vote on a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that seeks to make 40 MHz of the 5.9 gigahertz band available for unlicensed use. Public Knowledge supports the Commission’s proposal and looks forward to working with the FCC to make this plan a reality.

Today, the Federal Communications Commission voted to approve a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on permitting shared use of the 1675-1680 MHz band. The band is currently allocated for federal weather tracking and monitoring purposes, and the Commission’s proposal would allow for non-federal wireless use of the band while protecting incumbent federal operations. Public Knowledge supports the Commission’s efforts to improve efficient use of spectrum resources, including sharing, in order to meet increasing consumer demand.

Today Public Knowledge celebrates the first World Wi-Fi Day and the pioneering spectrum management policies that make this technology possible. World Wi-Fi Day is an international initiative organized by the Wireless Broadband Alliance under the leadership of the Connected City Advisory Board to help bridge the digital divide by using Wi-Fi technology to connect the unconnected. The day serves as a reminder that an estimated four billion people worldwide currently don’t have access to the internet and the benefits that connectivity can provide. These include not only economic benefits but the educational, employment, and social opportunities that connection can bring to individuals around the world.