What is Wi-Fi 7?
Wi-Fi 7 is the latest advancement in wireless connectivity and a successor to Wi-Fi 6E, promising faster speeds, reduced latency and stronger reliability for consumers. Like Wi-Fi 6E, it will still operate in the 2.4, 5 and 6 GHz bands; however, what sets this generation apart is the increased capacity for wireless connections.
How does it work?
We like to think of spectrum like a busy highway: if there are more lanes opened on the road, traffic can travel faster to get where they need to go. Because Wi-Fi 7 supports the wider channels enabled by the 6 GHz band – or, in other words, creates more lanes on the highway – it can accommodate more traffic and move data more efficiently.
Wi-Fi 7 is still in the early stages of adoption, and providers across the wireless industry are already eagerly pursuing the opportunities available on this new frontier. Check out some of the latest product developments in the growing market for Wi-Fi 7 that you can look forward to!
Wi-Fi to Watch
Amazon is taking a leap into the next generation with eero Max 7, their first Wi-Fi 7 mesh system. Some notable features of this latest router include the ability to connect 200+ devices and deliver twice the wireless throughput of 6E. With a wider range of coverage and faster speeds, the eero Max 7 will help prevent those dreaded lagging video calls at work or the buffering between episodes during your latest TV binge-watching marathon.
In addition, better Wi-Fi means a better user experience for all your favorite devices that run over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Smart home devices like Amazon’s Alexa and Echo Hub will undoubtedly become better integrated into your everyday life with faster speeds and heightened dependability.
Charter Communications, in partnership with Qualcomm Technologies, has announced their own Wi-Fi 7 router, expected to be available to customers in 2024. This technology development will improve the user experience by utilizing all three Wi-Fi bands, enabling higher throughput and lower latency. For residential and small and medium-sized business customers, the Advanced Wi-Fi router will support the ever-increasing dependence on reliable connectivity.
With so many wireless devices in rapid development, it can be difficult to keep up with what’s new and why we should care about the latest technology. But, there are numerous benefits for all consumers when the industry innovates. Wi-Fi manufacturers and internet providers have generated 542,000 jobs in the U.S. and are projected to add $1.58 trillion to the economy by 2025. On top of that, more than half of U.S. internet traffic is over Wi-Fi, demonstrating that faster Wi-Fi is not just a luxury, but a necessity for American consumers to stay connected.
As the industry continues to strive toward a faster, more digitally connected future, and spurring economic benefits created by Wi-Fi, it’s essential to note that none of this would be possible without access to unlicensed spectrum. We encourage the FCC to harness the advantages of Wi-Fi 7 and imagine the innovations possible for unlicensed use in the next generation and beyond.