Type Approval and use of Frequency of WiFi 6E

OFCA Hong Kong has recently opened the frequency spectrum for WiFi 6E. Unlike other countries, OFCA Hong Kong only allows to use the frequency range of 5.925 – 6.425GHz for WiFi 6E AP only. The frequency range of 6.425 to 7.125GHz range is not permitted to use in Hong Kong.

Unlike other WiFi APs, type approval/type acceptance is under voluntary basis. But for WiFi 6E, type approval/type acceptance is required. This means that Cambium is required to apply type approval/type acceptance in Hong Kong before their WiFi 6E can be sold in the local market.

Pls see the following links from OFCA Hong Kong for more information:

https://www.ofca.gov.hk/en/consumer_focus/guide/general/smart_choice_of_wi_fi_devices/index.html

Pls advise if Cambium is able to disable the frequency range of 6.425-7.125GHz frequency band so that type approval can be applied before selling in Hong Kong? Will Cambium consider to apply Type Approval/Type Acceptance in Hong Kong?

2 Likes

@Tony_So thank you for the information. We see this with other countries that as they start to adopt and approve Wi-Fi 6E, they start by only allowing a small range of the frequency so we are familiar with limiting specific 6GHz channels for specific countries. For Hong Kong, we have already adopted the limitation of 5.955 – 6.415GHz for our WiFi 6E APs. We start at 5.955 as this is the first 6Ghz channel (channel 1) and end at 6415 (channel 93) as this is the upper end of the 160MHz channel group.

image

XE5-8-E00273(config)# show wireless radios channels hk

 Interface: radio2 Band=6GHz Country:HK
 CHANNEL    FREQUENCY(MHz)  MAX-POWER    EIRP
 1             5955            18        24
 5             5975            18        24
 9             5995            18        24
 13            6015            18        24
 17            6035            18        24
 21            6055            18        24
 25            6075            18        24
 29            6095            18        24
 33            6115            18        24
 37            6135            18        24
 41            6155            18        24
 45            6175            18        24
 49            6195            18        24
 53            6215            18        24
 57            6235            18        24
 61            6255            18        24
 65            6275            18        24
 69            6295            18        24
 73            6315            18        24
 77            6335            18        24
 81            6355            18        24
 85            6375            18        24
 89            6395            18        24
 93            6415            18        24

Thanks again,
Gary

Hi, Gary,

Thanks for your information.

May I know if it will have a different ordering code for the WiFi 6E AP with a the band limitation or requires the user to select the country code during set up for disabling the frequency band? FYI, OFCA HK may not allow the user to enable the upper frequency band (e.g. user may select other country code during set up to enable the upper band) . Therefore, may I know which method is used by Cambium to limit the use of the upper band?

Best Regards,
Tony

Hi Tony,

For Hong Kong you would order the FCC (US) regulatory model. Then country code set to Hong Kong will enforce the restriction for only allowing the channels permitted for Hong Kong.

1 Like

Hi Gary,

Thanks. In this case, if user select country code that can use the whole band instead of country code of Hong Kong during set up, he/she may use the whole band instead of the lower band allowed. This is what we worry about and the WiFi 6E AP may not pass the type approval during the type approval process in this case.

Best Regards,
Tony

Hi, Gary,

We used to sell Cambium WiFi AP with RW models, may I know if the XE3-4 RW model also has the capability to enforce the restriction for only allowing the channels permitted for Hong Kong once we select the country code of Hong Kong? We expect our distributor will not keep the US model as stock for Asia market.

Best Regards,

Tony

Hi, Cambium Support,

We learnt from our distributor that they only keep the RW version of WiFi 6E APs that operates for the whole 6E spectrum instead of able to provide the WiFi 6E AP with lower band spectrum.

In this case, is it possible for us to change the firmware of the RW version of the WiFi 6E AP from full spectrum to lower spectrum by ourselves in order to meet the local regulatory requirement if the RW version of WiFi 6E is ordered?

Best Regards,
Tony

@Tony_So ,

Yes, Only the below channels are available if the user will select “HK” as the country code in the latest release image( 6.5.2.1-r3).

XE3-4-001191(config)# country-code HK
XE3-4-001191(config)#

Interface: radio3 Band=6GHz Country:HK
CHANNEL FREQUENCY(MHz) MAX-POWER EIRP
1 5955 18 24
5 5975 18 24
9 5995 18 24
13 6015 18 24
17 6035 18 24
21 6055 18 24
25 6075 18 24
29 6095 18 24
33 6115 18 24
37 6135 18 24
41 6155 18 24
45 6175 18 24
49 6195 18 24
53 6215 18 24
57 6235 18 24
61 6255 18 24
65 6275 18 24
69 6295 18 24
73 6315 18 24
77 6335 18 24
81 6355 18 24
85 6375 18 24
89 6395 18 24
93 6415 18 24
XE3-4-001191(config)#

1 Like

Thanks. Does it mean that all the new RW version of cambium WiFi 6E APs already has the country code of HK able to be selected by user?

Yes, cambium WiFi 6E APs already have the country code of HK able to be selected by the user.

2 Likes

Thanks and well noted.