To the editor:

In April 2020, as America faced unprecedented challenges, the Trump administration made a forward-thinking decision that has quietly transformed our digital economy and strengthened America’s technological leadership. The Federal Communications Commission under President Trump made the decision to take action to meet our country’s ever-growing need for Wi-Fi spectrum, and voted unanimously to open the 6 GHz spectrum band for unlicensed use — essentially quadrupling the airwaves available for Wi-Fi and similar technologies. Five years later, this decision has proven to be an unqualified success that deserves both recognition and expansion.

Most Americans don’t think about spectrum policy when they connect their devices to Wi-Fi, but they benefit from it daily. When President Trump’s FCC made the landmark decision to open the 6 GHz band, they recognized a fundamental truth: wireless innovation thrives when the government creates the right conditions and then gets out of the way.

 The results speak for themselves. In just the first two years following the decision, this policy generated an estimated $870 billion in economic value — far exceeding initial projections. By 2027, that figure is expected to reach $1.2 trillion. More importantly, it’s creating American jobs — over seven million in 2023 alone, with projections showing more than 13 million jobs supported by 2027.

 The demand for wireless connectivity also continues to grow exponentially. The average American household now has more than 20 connected devices — from smartphones and laptops to smart home systems and security cameras. Manufacturers need reliable wireless networks for automation. Farmers use Wi-Fi to monitor crops and livestock. Schools rely on it for digital learning. Hospitals use it for critical patient monitoring. And small businesses depend on Wi-Fi for everything from payment processing to inventory management.

 Unlike cellular networks, which are experiencing slowing data growth, Wi-Fi traffic continues to surge. Despite cellular providers already having access to approximately 1,300 MHz of licensed spectrum, over 75% of mobile data actually travels over Wi-Fi networks, not cellular connections.

 The next frontier for American wireless innovation is now on the horizon. The newest Wi-Fi standard — Wi-Fi 7 — promises speeds up to 10 gigabits per second, ten times faster than typical home connections today. But to reach its full potential and support next-generation applications from smart manufacturing to precision agriculture, Wi-Fi 7 needs access to additional spectrum in the 7 GHz band.

 Maintaining the existing 6 GHz allocation while also expanding unlicensed access to portions of the 7 GHz band represents the clearest path forward for continued American leadership in wireless innovation. Research shows that opening up the 7 GHz band for unlicensed use would generate an additional $79.6 billion in economic value between 2025-2027 alone and create 1.5 million additional American jobs by 2032. Even allocating a small portion of the 7 GHz band (specifically 7125-7250 MHz) would create huge economic growth potential.

The US became the world leader in wireless innovation by creating the conditions for American ingenuity to flourish. The Trump administration understood this principle when they opened the 6 GHz band, and we should build on that success by expanding unlicensed access to portions of the 7 GHz band.

 As budget debates continue in Washington, we should remember that true economic growth comes from unleashing the private sector. If we want to maintain American leadership in the global digital economy and create high-paying jobs here at home, we should continue the successful approach to spectrum policy that has served our nation so well.

 John Morrow,

Liverpool Township,

former Wellsville City Councilman,

former Wellsville Board of Education member