The Cabinet of Ministers is considering opening the 5945-6425 MHz radio frequency spectrum band for the deployment of Wi-Fi 6E technology.
The Cabinet of Ministers is considering opening the 5945-6425 MHz radio frequency spectrum band for the deployment of Wi-Fi 6E technology.
This solution will significantly increase the speed of wireless data transmission — up to 9.6 Gbps, which is several times higher than current performance.
The relevant draft resolution «On Amendments to Section 2 of the Plan for the Allocation and Use of Radio Frequency Spectrum in Ukraine» was approved at its meeting on March 26 by the National Commission for State Regulation of Electronic Communications, Radio Frequency Spectrum and Postal Services (NCEC). The need for such a step was due to the congestion of the existing frequency ranges currently used for Wi-Fi technologies.
Currently, the frequency bands available for wireless networks in Ukraine are 2400-2483.5 MHz, 5150-5250 MHz, 5250-5350 MHz, 5470-5670 MHz, 5670-5725 MHz, and 5725-5850 MHz. It is worth noting that Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 technologies are not prohibited in Ukraine, but the radio frequency bands available for them are overloaded due to the large number of devices. The large number of devices operating in these bands creates a significant load on the networks.
The NKEC emphasizes that it made this decision after numerous appeals from representatives of the business community, who pointed out the urgent need to implement Wi-Fi 6E in Ukraine. The Commission held consultations with representatives of special users and the Ukrainian State Center for Radio Frequencies, after which on October 23, 2024, it adopted Decision No. 578. By this decision, it proposed to the Ministry of Digital Transformation to make appropriate amendments to the Radio Frequency Spectrum Allocation Plan.
Regarding the more advanced Wi-Fi 7 technology, which is capable of providing data transfer speeds of up to 40 Gbps, the issue remains open. The regulator notes that the possibility of using the 6425-7125 MHz band is still being studied by European research institutions.
«The assessment of the conditions for using this band in Europe has not yet been completed. The Radio Frequency Group at the European Commission recommended considering the possibility of joint use of this radio frequency band for IMT radio technologies (International Mobile Telecommunications — 3G, 4G, 5G mobile communication standards that operate on licensed frequencies) and broadband radio access, in particular for local radio networks,» the NCEC explained.
Research on harmonized technical conditions for the use of various radio technologies in this range is planned to be completed by 2027. Only after receiving the results will Ukraine be able to return to the issue of allocating additional frequencies for the implementation of Wi-Fi 7.
It is worth noting that the use of the latest Wi-Fi standards is especially important for virtual and augmented reality technologies, online gaming, and video conferencing, as they provide significantly lower latency in data transmission.
Previously, the Association of Information Technology Enterprises of Ukraine had already appealed to the Cabinet of Ministers with a request to develop regulatory documents for the import into Ukraine of network equipment and devices that support the Wi-Fi 7 standard.
