Op-Ed: The expansion of the 6 GHz band has improved Wi-Fi speeds
Living in rural North Carolina, I've witnessed a remarkable transformation in our schools and communities over the past five years. As a school board member serving Stanly County I've seen how a key decision made by the Federal Communications Commission under President Trump in April 2020 has created tangible benefits for our students, teachers, and families. This decision, to open the 6 GHz spectrum band for unlicensed use, might sound like bureaucratic jargon to most people. But in our rural communities, it has meant the difference between digital inclusion and being left behind in the modern economy.
Over the years, our district has struggled with the limitations of our wireless infrastructure. When students needed to access online learning platforms simultaneously, our networks would slow to a crawl. During the pandemic, many of our students relied on public Wi-Fi hotspots at our schools, libraries, and community centers because they lacked reliable internet at home, making remote learning nearly impossible for many families.
The expansion of the 6 GHz band has improved Wi-Fi speeds and access here and around the country. With dramatically more spectrum available for Wi-Fi, we’ve seen schools become able to handle more devices at faster speeds. The local internet service providers that serve many of our rural communities gained the capacity to deliver better service to more households at affordable prices.
This transformation isn't just about education. I've watched as local businesses have embraced digital tools for inventory management, online sales, and customer service. Healthcare providers are expanding telehealth services, allowing rural patients to consult with specialists without making long trips to urban centers.
The results are tangible: higher graduation rates, new businesses opening in previously vacant storefronts, young families choosing to stay in or move to our communities rather than relocating to urban areas. This is the real impact of smart technology policy—not abstract economic statistics, but actual improvements in people's daily lives.
Now, as we look to the future with emerging Wi-Fi 7 technology, which could deliver speeds up to 10 gigabits per second, we are hopeful that the Trump administration will continue its leadership in expanding access to high-speed internet by maintaining current Wi-Fi use of available spectrum and allocating other necessary bands to keep up with the pace of innovation. Wi-Fi 7 needs additional spectrum in the 7 GHz band, and without it, we risk hitting a digital ceiling that could once again leave rural communities at a disadvantage compared to urban areas with access to fiber networks and multiple connectivity options.
I'm not a technology expert or a Washington insider, but I know what works for rural communities like mine. The decision to expand Wi-Fi capacity through the 6 GHz band has been transformative for rural North Carolina. Protecting this progress while opening additional spectrum in the 7 GHz band represents our best path forward.
As our nation develops its spectrum strategy for the next decade, I hope policymakers will remember communities like mine. The technological decisions made in Washington conference rooms have real consequences for rural classrooms. By maintaining the 6 GHz band and expanding into 7 GHz, we can ensure that the digital divide doesn't widen once again, and that rural students and communities continue to benefit from America's wireless leadership.
The foundation for rural prosperity in the 21st century is being built right now, through decisions about how we manage our invisible digital infrastructure. I've seen the benefits firsthand in the faces of our students and the revival of our small towns. Let's build on this success rather than retreating from it.
North Carolina - Rural School Board Member Dustin Lisk
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