Preparing the way for the deployment of WiFi 7
On January 9, 2024, the arrival of the new WiFi 7 standard was announced in Las Vegas, promising performance, bandwidth and efficiency superior to its predecessors WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E. How can we not be impressed by a wireless connection that can reach speeds of up to 46 Gbps, almost five times more than WiFi 6/6E, which operated below 10 Gbps?
But like any new technology, the deployment of WiFi 7 cannot be immediate; an adaptation phase is necessary because having a new standard is of little use if the devices that need to support it are not compatible.
To give us an idea of the time it takes to adopt a new standard, it is very illustrative to know that today 70% / 80% of wireless networks operate with WiFi 5. So, there is still a way to go.
At Ikusi, as specialists in wireless technologies, we believe that before undertaking a project with WiFi 7 technology, it is necessary to conduct a thorough analysis and undertake a process of equipment certification to be able to offer service with WiFi 7 technology, which involves all the devices we connect to the network.
This process is already underway, and leading companies worldwide like Cisco are working to realize all the potentials of WiFi 7. Some of the most significant advances come from artificial intelligence.
Wireless technology operates through frequency bands, which vary by country. Previously, Cisco sold different SKUs for each region. With the incorporation of AI, a single SKU is sufficient. AI detects which country the device is connected in and automatically adjusts the frequencies reserved for these services in that country, facilitating self-configuration.
We are heading towards a wireless experience with 75% less latency, 20% more efficiency, and 480% greater bandwidth. These capabilities open the doors to better augmented, virtual, and mixed reality experiences, uninterrupted high-definition video streaming on different devices simultaneously, and faster interconnectivity. These benefits will lead enterprise networks into a new era.
Ernesto Gutiérrez, Product Development Manager for Collaboration and Networking at Ikusi Mexico