Wi-Fi Spectrum Battle Spotlights Struggle for Scarce Airwaves

Tech companies that deliver music, games and shopping to smartphones and other devices are battling in court for a necessary resource — spectrum for Wi-Fi.

The companies, including Apple Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Alphabet Inc.'s Google are defending a Federal Communications Commission plan that would free up airwaves in the 6 GHz band to feed consumers’ Wi-Fi cravings.

Current users of the band, including AT&T Inc., utilities and TV broadcasters, want the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to strike down the agency’s plan to allow Wi-Fi signals on the spectrum band. They worry it will ...