The next generation of Wi-Fi technology, known as Wi-Fi 7 or “Extremely High Throughput” (EHT) IEEE 802.11be wireless standard, has been declared ready for deployment in consumer devices. The Wi-Fi Alliance has introduced the Wi-Fi Certified 7 program, which aims to ensure proper implementation of the new Wi-Fi 7 features in routers and other networking devices.
The non-profit organization that owns the Wi-Fi trademark has unveiled a new certification plan for Wi-Fi 7. As wireless networking is increasingly used across different industries, the Wi-Fi Alliance is ready to offer its quality stamp to device manufacturers.
According to the Wi-Fi Alliance, the IEEE 802.11be technology will enhance performance and connectivity in home, enterprise, and industrial environments. Wi-Fi 7 introduces innovations such as high throughput, “deterministic” latency, and increased reliability for critical wireless traffic. The Wi-Fi Certified 7 program represents the result of extensive collaboration among members of the Wi-Fi Alliance.
This advanced technology includes ultra-wide 320 MHz channels, which can double today’s widest channel size and provide “multigigabit” speeds. The Multi-Link Operation (MLO) feature allows Wi-Fi devices to transmit and receive data simultaneously over multiple links, resulting in increased throughput, reduced latency, and improved reliability.
Wi-Fi 7 also incorporates 4K QAM technology, which achieves 20 percent higher transmission rates compared to 1024 QAM. The 512 Compressed Block-ack feature enhances efficiency and reduces overhead. Further optimizations and improvements increase flexibility for spectrum resource scheduling, uplink access, and sustained quality of service in Wi-Fi access networks.
The Wi-Fi 7 standard is specifically designed to cater to emerging use cases for high-performance wireless connectivity, including multi-user virtual and augmented reality experiences, immersive 3D training, gaming, hybrid work, industrial IoT, and automotive applications. The Wi-Fi Alliance anticipates rapid adoption of this new technology, with support for over 233 million devices expected by the end of 2024.
The Wi-Fi 7 market is projected to grow to 2.1 billion devices by 2028, with smartphones, PCs, tablets, and access points (AP) leading the way as the earliest adopters of the technology. Wi-Fi Certified 7 will assist companies in ensuring that Wi-Fi 7’s advanced features are consistently deployed, providing customers with high-quality user experiences.
