Bolt 6 radios are calibrated and tested to support operation in the U-NII-5 (5.925–6.425GHz) frequencies. Although the product and its internal radios support these additional frequencies vs. previous Bolt products, regulatory restrictions mean that U-NII-5 operation is allowed only in the regions where it has been cleared for use. As different regions approve U-NII-5 for unlicensed operation, Teradek will release firmware updates to enable the additional frequencies. Note that we sometimes refer to U-NII-5 frequencies as “6GHz” to make it simpler to understand Bolt 4K (5GHz only) vs. Bolt 6 operation (5GHz and 6GHz).
Background
Bolt 4K and Bolt 6 operate on license free frequencies within certain U-NII (Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure) frequency bands. Bolt 4K works in U-NII-1, U-NII-2A, U-NII-2C, and U-NII-3 bands. These frequencies are now also common in commercial wi-fi equipment. Bolt 6 supports all of those, but adds support for U-NII-5 as a separate frequency range. Note that the following table represents the US (FCC) region, other regions may be more limited.
| U-NII band | Frequency range | Selectable Frequencies (40MHz) | Selectable Frequencies (20MHz) | Bolt 4K Support | Bolt 6 Support* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U-NII-1 | 5.150–5.250 | 2 | 5 | 👍 | 👍 |
| U-NII-2A (DFS) | 5.250–5.350 | 2 | 4 | 👍 | 👍 |
| U-NII-2B (DFS) | 5.350–5.470 | - | - | ❌ | ❌ |
| U-NII-2C (DFS) | 5.470–5.725 | 6 | 12 | 👍 | 👍 |
| U-NII-3 | 5.725-5.850 | 3 | 6 | 👍 | 👍 |
| U-NII-4 | 5.850–5.925 | - | - | ❌ | ❌ |
| U-NII-5 | 5.925–6.425 | 12 | 25 | ❌ | 👍 |
| Total selectable frequencies (40/20 MHz) | 13/27 | 25/52 | |||
*Note that Bolt 4K LT HDMI supports the same frequencies as Bolt 6, as of firmware package 4.3.0
U-NII-5 (6GHz) support by region
Teradek products are built to comply with regulatory requirements for all markets in which they are sold. As such, we can only enable U-NII-5 support in the regions where it is approved for license-free use. Teradek will release firmware updates with additional regional support as they become available.
This region table is up-to-date as of September 2024, and is accurate for Firmware Package 4.4.4 and later.
| Region | U-NII-5 Approval | Firmware available | Expected availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| US (FCC) | Yes | Yes | Now |
| Europe/UK | Yes | Yes | Now |
| Canada | Yes | Yes | Now |
| Japan (Indoors) | Yes | Yes | Now |
| Australia/New Zealand | Yes | Yes | Now |
| India | No | No | TBD |
NOTE: Additional region support TBD, will be added as regulation and certification allows
Configuration
By default, Bolt 6 operates in the 5GHz range. This allows backwards compatibility with Bolt 4K systems and in low interference environments will allow for the highest maximum range. Switching to U-NII-5 (6GHz) frequencies allows Bolt 6 to operate with minimal interference as very few other products support these frequencies. To configure Bolt 6 for 6GHz operation simply switch TX and RX units to the 6GHz band in the wireless settings menu. This can be done via the app or OLED display.
- TX: open menu, Wireless Settings, frequency range. Select 6GHz
- RX: open menu, Wireless Settings, frequency range. Select 6GHz
Associated menus for frequency selection will only show frequencies for the selected bands. Automatic frequency hopping works on either the 6GHz or 5GHz bands, but does not support scanning both. All systems must be set to 6GHz to work in the 6GHz range.