2.4 GHz Regulatory Comparison4 rows#
| Parameter | FCC (USA) | ETSI (Europe) | ARIB (Japan) | ACMA (Australia) | OFCA (Hong Kong) | IC (Canada) | SRRC (China) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channels available | 1-11 | 1-13 | 1-13 (ch 14 = 11b only) | 1-13 | 1-13 | 1-11 | 1-13 | FCC restricts to 11; most others allow 13 |
| Max EIRP (dBm) | 30 dBm | 20 dBm (EIRP) | 20 dBm | 36 dBm (point-to-point) | 20 dBm | 30 dBm | 20 dBm | FCC allows higher power; ETSI limits to 100 mW |
| 40 MHz channels | Allowed (coexistence rules) | Allowed (limited) | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed | Generally discouraged; only 1 non-overlapping 40 MHz |
| Regulatory body | FCC (47 CFR Part 15) | ETSI EN 300 328 | ARIB STD-T66 | ACMA | OFCA | IC RSS-247 | SRRC | Different standards documents per region |
5 GHz Regulatory Comparison9 rows#
| Parameter | FCC (USA) | ETSI (Europe) | ARIB (Japan) | ACMA (Australia) | OFCA (Hong Kong) | IC (Canada) | SRRC (China) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNII-1 (5150-5250 MHz) | Yes (indoor, 23 dBm) | Yes (indoor, 23 dBm) | Yes (indoor) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Indoor restriction lifted FCC 2014 for outdoor too |
| UNII-2A (5250-5350 MHz) | Yes (DFS + TPC) | Yes (DFS + TPC) | Yes (DFS + TPC) | Yes (DFS) | Yes (DFS) | Yes (DFS + TPC) | Yes (DFS) | DFS mandatory globally |
| UNII-2C (5470-5725 MHz) | Yes (DFS + TPC) | Yes (DFS + TPC) | Yes (DFS + TPC) | Yes (DFS) | Yes (DFS) | Yes (DFS + TPC) | Yes (DFS) | Weather radar present; most restrictive DFS zone |
| UNII-3 (5725-5850 MHz) | Yes (no DFS, 30 dBm) | No (ISM band conflict) | No (W56 ends at ch 144) | Yes | Limited | Yes | Limited | ETSI uses this range as 5.8 GHz ISM; different rules |
| Ch 120/124/128 | FCC: Yes (DFS) | ETSI: Restricted | ARIB: No | Varies | Varies | Yes (DFS) | Limited | Blocked in many regions due to TDWR (aviation radar) |
| Ch 144 | FCC: Yes (2014+) | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | Added by FCC; not harmonised globally |
| Max EIRP 5 GHz (dBm) | 23-30 dBm (band-dependent) | 23-30 dBm | 23 dBm (indoor) | 23-30 dBm | 23 dBm | 23-30 dBm | 23 dBm | UNII-3 allows highest power in FCC/CA |
| DFS radar detection time | ≤ 60 s (CAC) | ≤ 60 s (CAC) | ≤ 60 s (CAC) | ≤ 60 s | ≤ 60 s | ≤ 60 s | ≤ 60 s | Channel Availability Check before use on DFS channels |
| Radar non-occupancy period | 30 minutes | 30 minutes | 30 minutes | 30 minutes | 30 minutes | 30 minutes | 30 minutes | Must not reuse channel for 30 min after radar detection |
6 GHz Regulatory Comparison (as of 2024)6 rows#
| Parameter | FCC (USA) | ETSI (Europe) | ARIB (Japan) | ACMA (Australia) | OFCA (Hong Kong) | IC (Canada) | SRRC (China) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 GHz availability | Yes (1200 MHz, UNII-5/6/7/8) | Yes (480 MHz, UNII-5 only) | Yes (480 MHz lower band, since Sept 2022) | Yes (500 MHz lower band 5925-6425 MHz; upper band under study) | No | Yes (1200 MHz) | Limited (indoor 5925-6425 MHz approved 2023; full rules pending) | Availability expanding; check latest national decisions |
| Low Power Indoor (LPI) | Yes (≤30 dBm) | Yes (≤23 dBm) | Yes (≤200 mW, lower band) | Yes | N/A | Yes | N/A | Most common deployment mode for consumer APs |
| Very Low Power (VLP) | Yes (≤14 dBm, 2023 order) | Yes (≤14 dBm) | Yes (≤25 mW, lower band) | Under study | N/A | Yes | N/A | Enables wearables and portable devices in 6 GHz |
| Standard Power (AFC) | Yes (≤36 dBm, AFC required) | Under study | N/A | Under study | N/A | Yes | N/A | Requires real-time AFC database query before TX |
| DFS required in 6 GHz | No | No | N/A | No | N/A | No | N/A | No radar systems allocated to 6 GHz (major advantage) |
| Legacy device protection | No (6E devices use HE frames) | No | N/A | No | N/A | No | N/A | 6 GHz APs must not send beacon at legacy (non-HE) rates |
Key Regulatory Documents Reference3 rows#
| Parameter | FCC (USA) | ETSI (Europe) | ARIB (Japan) | ACMA (Australia) | OFCA (Hong Kong) | IC (Canada) | SRRC (China) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US FCC | 47 CFR Part 15.407 | - | - | - | - | - | - | FCC Part 15 Subpart E - Unlicensed National Info Infrastructure |
| Europe ETSI | EN 300 328 (2.4G) | EN 301 893 (5/6G) | - | - | - | - | - | Harmonised standards under Radio Equipment Directive (RED) |
| Japan ARIB | ARIB STD-T66 | ARIB STD-T71 | - | - | - | - | - | Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) jurisdiction |