For information on the Forum's current projects, please visit our committee pages:

Spectrum Sharing Committee

The Spectrum Sharing Committee serves as a common industry and government standards body to support the development and advancement of spectrum sharing technologies based on the three-tier architecture proposed for the 3.5 GHz (CBRS Band) rulemaking activities. While the CBRS band is the main focus on the initial activities, the Wireless Innovation Forum aims to advance this technology for all applicable spectrum bands that can benefit from it.

This Committee is intended to facilitate the interpretation and implementation of FCC rulemaking to a level that allows industry and government parties to collaborate on implementation of a common, efficient, well functioning ecosystem around this technology.

The main activities that conducted in the committee include:

• Detailing common industry and government functionality and architecture for Spectrum Access Systems (SAS), sensors, and devices 
• Interoperability requirements and protocol definition to allow for open competitive and well-functioning systems 
• Common framework for testing and integration of components of spectrum sharing technologies to allow for rapid certification and deployment and predictability, thus expanding the ecosystem and increasing utility of the spectrum 
• Details of requirements, processes, and methods for protection of incumbent users as required by the spectrum rules 
• Operational procedures definition for the well -functioning of the system as it pertains to spectrum assignment, managements, and interoperability

Software Defined Systems Committee:

The Software Defined Systems (SDS) Committee focuses on projects in standards creation for software architectures, application programming interfaces, test and certification, including:

• Defining an industry driven SCA evolution roadmap for the international community
• Profiling the SCA specification and related APIs to define internationally accepted variants that are hosted by the Forum
• Developing extensions to the SCA standards that address any gaps between the defined SCA evolution roadmap and Forum accepted SCA specification variants
• Providing implementation and certification guides, tools etc. easing implementation and supporting proliferation
• Establishing and managing industry led certification programs where appropriate 

NEW! 6GHz Committee:

The 6 GHz Committee (6GHzC) is a committee of The Wireless Innovation Forum that will serve as an industry body to study and specify sharing arrangements in spectrum designated for unlicensed operation within all or part of the 6 GHz band (5925-7125 MHz). The Committee will provide technical input to inform the FCC’s 6 GHz rulemaking and will facilitate the interpretation and implementation of the rulemaking that allows industry and regulators to collaborate on implementation of a common, efficient and well-functioning 6 GHz ecosystem.

The initial activities to be conducted by the Committee include:

• Defining:
  • Interference Protection Criteria
  • Propagation Modeling
  • Spectrum Occupancy Determination
  • Developing a Security Threat Assessment
  • Identifying AFC Requirements for Incumbent Protection

The approach to the committee’s work will emphasize the technical aspects of sharing while simplifying interfaces and requirements. This is done to advance innovative and competitive sharing approaches and to increase deployment speed of AFC systems.

The Committee is ultimately a standards and technical implementation forum for industry stakeholders and developers of the spectrum-sharing technologies. The Committee will not address policy-making or liability management but may occasionally make formal technical recommendations to the FCC or other regulatory bodies following the Forum’s standard policies and procedures.

The participants of this Committee should include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Developers and operators of wireless equipment and devices
• Developers and operators of spectrum sharing systems
• Operators and service providers interested in deploying in the spectrum
• Suppliers of systems and components operating in this spectrum
• General users of spectrum outside of main providers
• Policy makers, academics, and researchers
• Liaisons from other standards groups with which joint work is desired or necessary

Advanced Technologies Committee: 

The role of the Committee on Spectrum Innovation is to advocate for the innovative utilization of spectrum, and advancing radio technologies that support essential or critical communications:

• Works with wireless end users and their representatives, including network operators, government acquisition authorities and research sponsors to validate concepts and requirements against technology readiness, to document domain specific requirements, use cases and business models.
• Supports member organizations in identifying new opportunities for next generation products and services in each defined market domain.
• Works with the regulatory and public policy community to establish a global regulatory framework promoting the adoption of emerging technologies for advanced wireless systems.
• Provides a venue for the exchange of information on emerging radio technologies important in wireless networking and produces reports, specifications and recommendations supporting the development and deployment of advanced wireless system and next generation radio devices

Management and oversight of this committee is provided by a Steering Group working in collaboration with a Regulatory Advisory Committee. The Steering Group is comprised of the Forum’s Officers, and is responsible for drafting the Forum’s “Top 10 Most Wanted Wireless Innovations” list and setting the Forum’s “Advocacy Agenda” based on member input. These documents will be distributed to the members of the Forum for ballot following the Forum’s standard process.

Additional information on ongoing projects can be found in the Forum's Operations Plan. 

Information on policies and procedures followed by these groups in developing reports, recommendations and specifications can be found here.

A complete listing of the work products developed by these groups can be found in the Forum's Document Library.