On July 14, 2016 the FCC adopted new rules for wireless broadband operations above 24 GHz, making the U.S. the first country to make this spectrum available and leapfrogging other nations in the race for 5G mmWave technology. We thought this was a perfect time to talk with Theodore (Ted) Rappaport, Professor at NYU and the Founding Director of NYU Wireless, who was the first to prove that mmWave technologies were viable for cellular communications.

What exactly did the FCC adopt in the way of frequency allocations and rules in July?

In its July 14, 2016 Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (based on the FCC’s original request for comments in GN Docket No. 14-177), the FCC agreed to open up a vast amount of mmWave spectrum for use in a wide range of flexible wireless uses. This is unprecedented, as many of the authorized frequencies were either not available at all for wireless/mobile use, or were previously defined for only certain uses. The Report and Order (FCC 16-89) is 289 pages long, and offers extensive rulemaking for a wide range of new flexible uses that will include mobility, internet access, point to point, as well as satellite use.

Read the full interview at Microwavejournal.com