Analyzing Utilities 6 Ghz Microwave Networks Exposure to Wifi Interference

Abstract Description: The landscape of our network infrastructure has been fundamentally altered following the FCC's decision in 2020 to allow unlicensed devices to operate in the 5.925-7.125 GHz (6 GHz) bands. This move has the potential to impact over 100,000 existing links, as an estimated 1 billion new Wi-Fi devices prepare to leverage this spectrum.

The 6 GHz band provides long haul microwave radio communications to Mission Critical and Service Providers across the USA, and increased interference can pose a number of risks for emergency response services. The looming specter of interference has cast a shadow of concern over utility operators, who are grappling with the absence of tools and processes to assess the impact.

In response to this pressing need, SCE, in collaboration with Nokia and Spatial Datalyst, embarked on a pioneering review of the SCE microwave network. This endeavor unveiled a new methodology to empower operators to predict and mitigate the impact of the FCC rule change on their networks. Learn about risks posed by the FCC approving the use of unlicensed devices in the 5.925-7.125 GHz (6 GHz) bands, the methodology to analyze the impacts on SCE’s microwave network, and what this means for utility operators and the industry.