broadband
connectivity
networks
telecoms

Categories::

Broadband
Digital Transformation
Hot Topics
Networks
Telecoms

The Wi-Fi Alliance has begun the certification process for Wi-Fi 7, ushering in a new era of wireless connectivity. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7 provides confidence to end-users they’ll benefit from new features designed to enhance performance and connectivity across various environments.

The latest iteration of Wi-Fi promises significant advancements, catering to emerging technologies such as multi-user augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and extended reality (XR). The certification, a result of extensive collaboration within Wi-Fi Alliance, ensures global interoperability and a robust device ecosystem.

Wi-Fi 7 is poised for rapid adoption, with over 233 million devices expected to hit the market in 2024 and a staggering 2.1 billion devices projected by 2028. Early adopters include smartphones, PCs, tablets, and access points, with customer premises equipment and AR/VR equipment gaining traction.

Key features include:

320 MHz channels, enabling ultra-wide channels for multigigabit speeds
Multi-Link Operation (MLO), facilitating simultaneous data transmission and reception over multiple links
4K QAM, achieving 20 percent higher transmission rates than its predecessor
512 Compressed block-ack, improving efficiency and reducing overhead
Multiple RUs to a single STA, enhancing spectrum efficiency through improved spectrum resource scheduling flexibility
Triggered Uplink Access to accommodate latency-sensitive streams
Emergency Preparedness Communication Services (EPCS) for seamless emergency service experiences

Wi-Fi 7’s introduction has garnered support from industry leaders, with companies like Broadcom, CommScope, RUCKUS Networks, Intel, MaxLinear, MediaTek, and Qualcomm forming the testbed for certification. This ensures that Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7 devices meet the highest standards.

Kevin Robinson, President and CEO of Wi-Fi Alliance, said: “This certification underscores our relentless commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology that redefines the way users experience Wi-Fi.”

As the Wi-Fi 7 ecosystem expands, companies like Airties, Boingo, Broadcom, RUCKUS Networks, Intel, MaxLinear, MediaTek, and Qualcomm are at the forefront, actively participating in the certification process.

Metin Taskin, Co-CEO of Airties, highlighted the potential of Wi-Fi 7 to support broadband service providers’ plans and improve overall user experience: “Wi-Fi 7 provides unprecedented capacity and spectrum efficiency to support far more connections and immersive applications.

“By embracing smart Wi-Fi software that is truly standards-based, open-source, and hardware-agnostic, ISPs can gain maximum flexibility and control over subscribers’ home broadband experience.”

(Photo by Waldemar on Unsplash)

Looking to revamp your digital transformation strategy? Learn more about Digital Transformation Week taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with IoT Tech Expo and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.

Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.

About the Author

Ryan Daws

Senior Editor

Ryan Daws is a senior editor at TechForge Media with over a decade of experience in crafting compelling narratives and making complex topics accessible. His articles and interviews with industry leaders have earned him recognition as a key influencer by organisations like Onalytica. Under his leadership, publications have been praised by analyst firms such as Forrester for their excellence and performance. Connect with him on X (@gadget_ry), Bluesky (@gadgetry.bsky.social), and/or Mastodon (@gadgetry@techhub.social)