Why It Matters
The Federal Communications Commission proposes loosening federal rules for manufacturers and users of ultra-wideband devices while protecting incumbent federal and nonfederal spectrum users.
The FCC says it has been operating under "regulation by waiver" and that conditions granted repeatedly since 2004 were never incorporated into its rules. The proposal would comprehensively modernize the ultra-wideband framework established in 2002, more than two decades after its adoption. Comments are due Dec. 2, with reply comments due Jan. 4, 2027.
The Big Picture
Device manufacturers that currently must obtain individual waivers to certify frequency-hopping, stepped-frequency and swept-frequency ultra-wideband (UWB) products would gain a more direct path to certification under the proposed rules. A new location-sensing device category would reduce reliance on individual waivers for keyless entry, vehicle ranging and precision-tracking applications. The FCC estimates the changes would save small entities and other industry participants approximately $27,000 annually by eliminating roughly five waiver applications per year. The agency also projects approximately $44,000 in annual savings from reduced FCC staff review costs.
The proposal responds to two petitions for rulemaking: one filed by Robert Bosch LLC on June 18, 2019, and another filed by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, Car Connectivity Consortium, FiRa Consortium, PROFIBUS & PROFINET International/omlox and Ultra-Wideband Alliance on Dec. 18, 2025.
What the Proposal Does
The proposal first redefines a UWB transmitter under 47 C.F.R. § 15.503, dropping the requirement that a device meet the applicable bandwidth threshold at every point in time. The current definition applies its bandwidth threshold "at any point in time," and the proposed text removes that phrase while retaining the requirement for a fractional bandwidth of at least 0.20 or a UWB bandwidth of at least 500 MHz. This would accommodate devices that achieve the required bandwidth through time-varying transmissions.
The proposal would also modify 47 C.F.R. § 15.521 to allow pulse-gated UWB devices to be measured in normal operating mode and would exempt UWB devices from the swept-frequency measurement requirement in § 15.31(c).
The proposal would remove and reserve 47 C.F.R. § 15.525, eliminating the advance written coordination requirement for UWB imaging systems. Currently, § 15.525 requires operators to submit operational information to the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology before use, with a 15-business-day coordination period. The proposed rule would remove those requirements. The FCC says it is unaware of any instance in which the written coordination information was used to respond to an interference concern or resulted in a follow-up investigation.
The platform prohibition in 47 C.F.R. § 15.521(a) would also change. Currently, the rule bars UWB use in toys and prohibits operation aboard aircraft, ships or satellites. The proposed text reads, "Operation onboard an aircraft, a ship not within inland waters, or a satellite is prohibited," removing the toy prohibition and narrowing the ship restriction to vessels outside inland waters. The Commission noted in 2002 that it might revisit the toy prohibition within six to 12 months but did not subsequently remove it.
Coordination cross-references in 47 C.F.R. § 15.513 for medical imaging systems and 47 C.F.R. § 15.509 for ground-penetrating radars and wall-imaging systems would also be removed, along with labeling provisions in §§ 15.509, 15.510 and 15.511.
Open Questions
The FCC is seeking comment on whether to create a separate device class for artificial intelligence-enabled UWB sensing applications, including robots, drones and autonomous vehicles, but has not proposed regulatory text establishing that class. The agency says such systems will continue to be examined under its framework for assessing devices that may pose national security risks.
The FCC is also asking whether prohibitions on aircraft and satellite operations should be relaxed, what technical safeguards such as geofencing or altitude limits would be appropriate, and whether existing equipment authorizations containing restrictions on toy or platform use should have those restrictions administratively removed if the Commission ultimately relaxes the rules.
The Commission is also seeking technical evidence on whether more flexible bandwidth measurements and expanded device uses could increase interference risks for protected services, including satellite navigation, radar altimeters and weather radars.
The Bottom Line
Comments on the proposed rule are due Dec. 2, and reply comments are due Jan. 4, 2027. The proceeding is listed under ET Docket No. 26-245, and comments may be submitted through the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System. The proposed changes would not take effect unless the Commission adopts a final rule.
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