Extending The Wi-Fi Sandbox To Orbit: Closing The Connectivity Gap With NTN Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is the unquestioned workhorse of modern wireless connectivity.

• It has an installed base exceeding 20 billion devices.
• There are over 4 billion new devices shipping every year.
• More than 90% of all wireless internet traffic flows through it.

Wi-Fi has become synonymous with broadband.

Yet, across the globe, broadband deserts remain in hard-to-reach outdoor areas. There are more than two billion people unserved or underserved.

While direct-to-device (D2D) cellular satellite services using non-terrestrial networking (NTN) technologies are an exciting development and will certainly work to close the connectivity gap, there are a number of device types and use cases that it may be ill-suited to address. NTN Wi-Fi could operate as an additional satellite connectivity layer, providing additional capacity and another means for connecting users in hard to reach areas, especially for devices that do not contain a cellular radio.

Wi-Fi boasts a 6x higher attach rate than cellular across connected devices. So the question becomes: Could Wi-Fi from satellites to user devices be a solution for further narrowing the global broadband gap?

Applauding a Bold Regulatory Step
We applaud Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr for taking a decisive, forward-looking step by putting the Unlicensed Space Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on the Commission's FCC agenda on the Unlicensed Space Operations / Direct-to-Device (D2D) Communications (ET Docket No. 26-169).

By exploring rules that allow satellites to communicate using unlicensed spectrum to end-user devices, the FCC is laying the groundwork to unlock the next frontier of ubiquitous connectivity—extending broadband directly to outdoor Wi-Fi devices anywhere on Earth.

Walking the Tightrope: The Coexistence Mandate
As excited as we are for the potential for space native Wi-Fi, it’s important to get the coexistence rules right. Wi-Fi’s multi-trillion-dollar economic impact exists precisely because the unlicensed spectrum sandbox operates on clear, predictable terms. Network operators, enterprise providers, and device manufacturers who have invested billions in terrestrial Wi-Fi, and users who rely on Wi-Fi for connectivity, need absolute certainty that new space-based authorizations will not introduce harmful interference or disrupt workhorse Wi-Fi operations.

Our view of the Commission’s primary directive in this proceeding is simple: Enable innovation, but do no harm to terrestrial unlicensed services.

As the NPRM recognizes, coexistence is a non-negotiable requirement. Innovation can and must occur in a manner that enables NTN Wi-Fi and allows terrestrial unlicensed operations in the bands to continue to flourish. Wi-Fi has a rich history of operating as a friendly technology and we are confident that NTN Wi-Fi can be developed in a way that continues along this path.

Unlocking the Fabric of Intelligent Connectivity
Enabling Wi-Fi to/from space can be accomplished with rules that preserve the delicate balance between innovation and protection. Users will be able to roam between outdoor space-based Wi-Fi and indoor terrestrial networks just as seamlessly as they roam between Wi-Fi access points today.

As the industry continues its relentless pursuit in solving the connectivity challenges faced by consumers and businesses in each successive generation of technology, the FCC's leadership on this NPRM paves the way for it to standardize an interconnected ecosystem spanning terrestrial APs, edge AI devices, and LEO constellations.

Once again, we thank Chairman Carr for his vision and leadership. We look forward to contributing to the FCC’s record and to collaborating with industry partners to make direct-to-device Wi-Fi to/from space a secure, polite reality.