Qatar’s Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) published a public consultation on its website related to the Wireless Local Area Network (Wi-Fi 6) and CRA’s proposed policy for assigning the full frequency band (5925 – 7125 MHz) to this network.
The regulator said it expects to receive the views and comments from the local and international stakeholders and interested parties about its proposed decision.
CRA noted that Wi-Fi 6 is helping to address internet data traffic congestion issues caused by the connectivity of multiple devices to the same Wi-Fi hub. The regulator also highlighted that this technology will enable consumers in Qatar to connect more devices to the Wi-Fi with high-speed internet connectivity and will also enable different Internet of Things (IoT) applications and support innovative applications such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Ultra High Definition video (Ultra HD).
“CRA is one of the first regulators in the region and the world to announce clearly and transparently its policy related to the frequency band for the Wi-Fi 6 technology, as CRA is always keen to encourage the introduction of advanced technologies to Qatar and keep its relevant regulatory instruments up to date to cover the new technologies and radiocommunications applications, which will contribute to a better future,” said Mohammed Ali Al-Mannai, President of CRA.
“The introduction of this technology will help support many sectors in Qatar, including the education sector, especially with the current approach related to remote learning through the internet because of the conditions associated with the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic. Moreover, this technology will also support the mobile telecom market as a complementary technology to the 5G networks, especially during Qatar’s hosting of major events, including the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.”
CRA said it has reviewed the experiences and the policy statements of several countries in this regard, and found that some countries have decided to assign the full frequency band to Wi-Fi 6 technology, such as the United States, the Republic of South Korea, and others, while some other countries have decided to assign part of the frequency band such as the U.K. and a number of European countries.
“The CRA’s approach is based on the investment of the full bandwidth (1200 MHz) in order to increase the Wi-Fi capacity and enhance the experience of the consumers in Qatar, to keep pace with the telecom infrastructure that is ready to accommodate this new technology, as the optical fiber network covers around 99% of Qatar’s households and this percentage is one of the highest worldwide.”
The current status of Wi-Fi 6 efforts at a global level can be seen here.
