Keysight Technologies, Inc. has been granted the first Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Spectrum Horizons Experimental license for developing 6G technology in sub-Terahertz (THz) frequency bands, between 95 GHz and 3 THz.
The FCC license enables Keysight to develop cutting-edge technology used by researchers in academia and the industry to accelerate innovations that support data-intensive high-bandwidth applications, imaging and sensing. Keysight is also the first company to be granted FCC licenses above 246 GHz and 275.5 GHz. Access to large swaths of contiguous spectrum in sub-THz frequencies allows 6G innovators to realize high data throughput speeds of 100 Gbps up to 1 Tbps, as well as ultra-low latencies across short distances.
"Innovations in sub-THz spectrum will support use-cases such as immersive telepresence, digital twins and extended reality, which is all real-and-virtual combined environments and human-machine interactions generated by computer technology and wearables," said Roger Nichols, Keysight's 5G & 6G program director. "Using the FCC Spectrum Horizons license enables Keysight to strengthen our commitment to 6G technology, which will allow innovators to pioneer across the novel terrain of future-generation communications systems."
Keysight applied for the FCC licenses to promote 6G technology development while also ensuring no harmful interference to existing authorized users. The multiple FCC license grants follow Keysight's active participation in driving U.S. spectrum policy in consortia such as the mmWave Coalition, in which Keysight is a founding member. The mmWave Coalition is a group of innovative companies united in removing regulatory barriers to technologies and using frequencies ranging from 95 GHz to 450 GHz.
"The use of sub-THz spectrum to power the next generation of wireless technology is one key enabler to merging the physical and digital worlds, which will result in creative ways for people to interact with their surroundings," said Kailash Narayanan, president of Keysight's Communications Solutions Group. "Keysight takes an active role in several government-sponsored 6G initiatives around the globe. These are critical in generating momentum for technology that will accelerate digitalization and drive innovation for consumers, government and businesses."