FCC approves guidelines for next generation wireless research 5G

The Federal Communications Commission last week approved guidelines for the next revolution in wireless technology that according to some would be the biggest economic generator in history.

The agency's commissioners Thursday unanimously approved rules that would open up little-used, high frequency airwaves for uses possibly ranging from telecommunications to medicine, self-driving cars, factories and smart house appliances such as refrigerators that automatically reordered food once it was used.

The new technology under development would allow more extensive use of the short waves capable of greatly expanding the capacity for carrying information on the new system, which would be known as 5G, for fifth generation. Development in wireless technology had delivered a quantum leap every decade that moved the technology up a generation, and the fruits of this next step would probably start rolling out in 2020.

Most consumers associated the Gs with cell phones, but it was essentially about upgrades in many forms of wireless communication, including satellites. Usually the expansion coincided with the FCC making more bandwidth available.

FCC chairman Tom Wheeler said Thursday the agency's role would be setting guidelines to maintain competition and ''turning loose the incredible innovators'' who will shape what the next generation brings.

Meanwhile, president Obama on Friday announced a $400-million Advanced Wireless Research Initiative to boost research for next-generation mobile networks. Under the initiative four city-sized testing grounds for 5G wireless services would be established, beginning in fiscal year 2017, which starts 1 October.

The move comes a day after the FCC voted to open more spectrum for 5G development and use. 5G services would provide improved speeds of up to 100 times faster than that provided by 4G wireless networks today.

The initiative will be funded by the National Science Foundation and companies such as AT&T, Intel, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon and others, which have invested $35 million.