Waivers will allow retuning older U-NII-3 band systems to operate in U-NII-1.
The new U-NII rules, which take effect June 2, increase the power limits for the U-NII-1 band (5.15-5.25 GHz) and allow outdoor operation. Devices certified for the higher-powered U-NII-3 band (5.725-5.825 GHz) can be retuned for use in U-NII-1, but older systems may not comply with the new rules. Users or providers of those older systems have 30 days – until July 2 – to apply for waivers to allow their operation in U-NII-1. The FCC expects to quickly approve any such requests that seek to operate within the U-NII-1 band with up to 250 mW of conducted power and a PSD of 11 dBm/MHz with a 6 dBi gain antenna. This does not automatically rule out requests for higher power that come within the old rules for U-NII-3 (i.e., the ones that were in effect before June 2) or under the former version of Section 15.247, but the FCC may take longer to consider these.
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