There has never been a better time for Wi-Fi offloading. In recent years, Wi-Fi technology developments have advanced more than in the previous decade, bringing improvements that enable mobile operators to deploy Wi-Fi offloading more effectively and provide a superior user experience. We have already covered Passpoint in a recent white paper excerpt. This time we will focus on the next-generation Wi-Fi radio technologies making Wi-Fi more carrier-class than ever before. In an upcoming post we will talk about the WBA OpenRoaming initiative, but we have plenty of information about OpenRoaming already here in Enea Insights.

The introduction of Wi-Fi 6 marks a paradigm shift for Carrier Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi offloading, bringing a level of quality of service (QoS) comparable to that of cellular networks—an unprecedented achievement in the history of Wi-Fi technology. The cornerstone of Wi-Fi 6 is Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), which incorporates cellular-style scheduling to deliver deterministic performance, especially in high-density environments. With OFDMA and other technical advancements, Wi-Fi 6 can accommodate a significantly higher number of devices and offers up to four times the data transmission capacity of previous Wi-Fi generations.

We will cover more details about how Wi-Fi 6/6E and 7 Improve Quality of Experience (QoE) in an upcoming white paper excerpt. To get access to that chapter already now, download the full white paper.

Wi-Fi 6 also extends the range and reliability of Wi-Fi services, particularly through enhanced modulation techniques like 1024-QAM and improved beamforming, making it more effective in challenging environments. Additionally, it includes features like Target Wake Time (TWT), which is particularly advantageous for IoT applications. TWT allows access points to schedule specific times for IoT devices to access the network, resulting in up to six times better battery life—a critical improvement for battery-powered IoT deployments.

Wi-Fi 6 also offers other enhancements, such as UL (uplink) MU-MIMO, 160 MHz channels, and more. These improvements collectively deliver a substantial boost in high-density connectivity and performance quality. As a result, Wi-Fi service providers can offer a significantly enhanced Quality of Experience (QoE) to both consumers and professional users in venues like transportation hubs, stadiums, and shopping malls, as well as in enterprise environments, hospitality, and other high-traffic areas.

In short, wherever people gather, Wi-Fi will be there—elevated by Wi-Fi 6 to provide a much-improved user experience.

Wi-Fi 6E extends the capabilities of Wi-Fi 6 into the pristine 6 GHz spectrum, with its availability determined by regional or country-specific regulations.

April 23, 2020, is a landmark date in the history of wireless technology. On this day, the commissioners of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted unanimously to release 1.2 GHz of 6 GHz spectrum for unlicensed Wi-Fi use. Since then, numerous other countries have followed suit, and it is widely anticipated that many more will allocate parts of the 6 GHz band for unlicensed spectrum over the coming years. In the U.S., the full 6 GHz band is now available for indoor Wi-Fi use under Low Power Indoor (LPI) regulations.

This new allocation significantly expands the Wi-Fi spectrum, more than tripling the available bandwidth in the U.S. and nearly doubling it in the European Union. In the U.S., Wi-Fi users can access a total of seven 160 MHz-wide channels, while in Europe, three such channels will be available. This additional spectrum allows Wi-Fi devices—such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops—to achieve multiple gigabits per second of throughput over Wi-Fi.

Wi-Fi 6 itself already represents a significant leap in quality and data rates compared to older standards, such as Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac, 5 GHz) and Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n, 2.4 GHz). With the introduction of Wi-Fi 6E, these improvements are further amplified by the ability to operate in the interference-free 6 GHz band. The result is a connectivity experience that is substantially faster and more reliable.

Free from Interference from Legacy Wi-Fi

A key advantage of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 is their exclusive access to the 6 GHz band, free from interference from legacy Wi-Fi systems. Only these newer Wi-Fi generations are certified to operate in this spectrum, ensuring a cleaner, interference-free environment for communication.

Wi-Fi 6E and 7 also promise ultra-low latency. This capability will enable highly responsive and immersive connectivity experiences, initially benefiting applications like gaming, high-quality video conferencing, and AR/VR. Over time, it will pave the way for innovative new wireless enterprise applications.

As the world adjusts to widespread deployments of Wi-Fi 6 and 6E access points, Wi-Fi 7 has already begun making its debut. Consumer brands like TP-Link, Asus, Eero, Linksys, and Netgear have released Wi-Fi 7 access points even before the IEEE officially ratified the 802.11be standard (Wi-Fi 7) on September 26, 2024. With the standard now approved, other vendors focused on enterprise-grade access points are expected to follow suit.

It’s fair to describe Wi-Fi 7 as “Wi-Fi 6/6E on steroids,” marking another significant leap in capabilities that further positions Wi-Fi as a carrier-class solution. Like previous generations, Wi-Fi 7 is backward compatible. However, many Wi-Fi 7 routers may not support devices using anything less than WPA2 security. This could potentially limit the functionality of legacy Wi-Fi 4 devices, which may only connect in less secure open networks. But given the pace of Wi-Fi advancements, this is likely to be more of a theoretical issue than a practical one.

Why is Wi-Fi 7 Like Wi-Fi 6/6E on Steroids?

The following comparison highlights the theoretical improvements of Wi-Fi 7 over Wi-Fi 6, though real-world results depend on various implementation factors. (We have summarized the most important differences in the table below.)

Wi-Fi 7 offers speeds ranging from 30 to 46 Gbps—three to nearly five times faster than Wi-Fi 6. It also reduces latency significantly, promising performance below 5 milliseconds compared to Wi-Fi 6’s average of 20 milliseconds. With support for up to 16 spatial streams (double that of Wi-Fi 6) and a maximum channel bandwidth of 320 MHz, Wi-Fi 7 offers impressive improvements in speed and capacity. For context, the entire 2.4 GHz band is just 83 MHz wide.

Wi-Fi 7’s increased modulation, reaching 4096-QAM, allows for better performance over the same channel width compared to the 1024-QAM in Wi-Fi 6. This translates to more efficient data transmission and better throughput under ideal conditions.

A Standout Feature: Multi-Link Operation (MLO)

What truly sets Wi-Fi 7 apart is its new multi-link operation (MLO) capability. For the first time, devices will be able to operate simultaneously on both the 5 GHz and 6 GHz bands. This ability to bond multiple bands brings several advantages, including improved reliability and increased bandwidth through load-balancing. It also enhances the likelihood of maintaining a stable connection over longer distances while utilizing maximum bandwidth.

However, realizing MLO’s full potential will require support from new devices, meaning it may take time before this feature becomes widely beneficial.