Cisco Asks FCC to Unlock 6 GHz Wi-Fi for Cruise Ships
Outdated Satellite Rules No Longer Justify Wi-Fi Ban on Cruise Ships
WASHINGTON, June 18, 2025 – Cisco wants to be sure that Netflix has smooth sailing for passengers aboard cruise ships in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Bill Davenport, Senior Director for Connectivity and Technology Policy Cisco Systems, Inc., in a June 16 meeting with an aide to FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, discussed Cisco’s proposal to remove the FCC’s prohibition on the operation of 6 GHz low-power indoor (LPI) Wi-Fi access points on cruise ships.
Cisco filed a notice with the FCC to move forward with new rules that would enhance internet connectivity for the almost 20 million annual U.S. cruise ship passengers.
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While the FCC had prohibited 6 GHz LPI access points on boats to protect remote Earth exploration satellite sensors (EESS) — which monitor ocean temperature trends, sea level change, and weather patterns — the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference decided to move EESS to different frequencies. This has sparked growing support to lift the prohibition on unlicensed 6 GHz Wi-Fi (like on boats), because it no longer interferes with EESS operations.
Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., Cisco is a U.S. multinational technology company that serves as a leading provider of networking equipment. According to their website, “Cisco offers an industry-leading portfolio of technology innovations, including networking, security, collaboration, and cloud management."
Cisco’s report revealed that current trends pertaining to cruise ships justified the enhancement of internet connectivity. As the number of U.S. passengers is projected to undergo 4.5% year-over-year growth, and the amount of connected devices per ship continues to increase, demand for reliable, high-speed Wi‑Fi services on cruise ships will also rise.
The report also spells out the numerous benefits of increasing the frequency bandwidth, all of which work to modernize passengers’ cruise experience. Benefits include the ability for passengers to stream Netflix movies, play games online, and use digital applications for on-ship dining and retail.
Better Wi-Fi also “enables passengers to access advisories, communicate via ship's app, and make Wi-Fi calls.” Furthermore, the issue of poor Wi-Fi performance impacting promenade, pool, coffee shops, and guest services during peak times will be addressed.
Enhanced connectivity will also improve critical ship operations: The 6 GHz band would allow crew members to gain much more reliable, real-time access to navigational data and weather forecasts via Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi also connects sensors to monitor engines, ship systems, facilities, and security applications, all of which would benefit from faster, more reliable internet connection. The Cisco report stated that “6 GHz band enables wider channels for optimizing operations and avoiding excessive collisions.”
Finally, Cisco noted that cruise Ship 6 GHz Wi-Fi would require minimal regulatory changes, supporting Davenport’s argument for enhancing connectivity through “targeted policy modernization."
