EBOOK

Industry Look Out on

6 GHz for Wi-Fi
 nternet connection has climbed up the ladder in the hierarchy
Introduction of man’s need. Along with this is the Wi-Fi capability of each
device, be it for home or business setting. Wi-Fi configuration is
as important, if not more, as the internet service provider that
supplies this basic digital need.
Wi-Fi is getting its biggest upgrade in over a decade—the 802.11ax.
Also known as Wi-Fi 6, the next generation of Wi-Fi will usher in a
new era of wireless devices. Already, gadgets with enhanced wireless
capabilities are being introduced that will take advantage of the
faster speeds and reduced congestion of Wi-Fi 6.

• More than doubling available spectrum for WLAN

• 6 GHz increases probability of 160 MHz channel bandwidth operation as a Wi-Fi 6 green field band
• 6 GHz spectrum under evaluation is contiguous (vs the fragmented 5 GHz spectrum) favoring even
wider channel operation in the future

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Introduction
The Wi-Fi Alliance, which is responsible for designing and developing Wi-Fi
standards, is expected to finalize Wi-Fi 6 before the year ends.
Compared to earlier generations,
Wi-Fi 6 is the answer to the growing demand for faster multi-user data rates.
the upcoming standard boasts
Service providers need to prepare for the immediate demand of Wi-Fi 6 as
faster speeds, wider range,
early as next year. Wi-Fi Access Points will face new requirements to adjust to
these enhanced capabilities and the most optimized service level. This eBook increased network efficiency, as
aims to shed a light for service providers and vendors of Wi-Fi APs on how to well as extended battery life.
prepare for the addition of the 6 GHz band to the Wi-Fi spectrum.

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Table of
Introduction 2

Contents 4
Table of Contents

What is Wi-Fi 6? 5

The Need for Wi-Fi Spectrum Expansion 6

Current Status and Timeline of 6 GHz Regulation 7

Band Advantages of 6 GHz 8-9

Which Services Fit the 6 GHz Band? 10

Why Make the Move to Adopt 6 GHz? 11

New and Self-Adjusting PCIe Celeno Chipsets to Prepare 12

for the Future of 6GHz Wi-Fi Bands

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What is
Based on IEEE 802.11ax, Wi-Fi 6 is a highly-anticipated addition to
the wireless scene. Like previous generations, Wi-Fi 6 is expected
to offer a wide range of features, including faster speeds, improved
Wi-Fi 6? throughput, and desirable user experiences. Not only that, the 6
GHz band provides contiguous spectrum blocks that enable it to
support 160 MHz channels. The next generation of Wi-Fi will be able
to support high-data throughput applications.
Over 30 companies in the tech scene, including Qualcomm, have
urged regulators to expand Wi-Fi 6 to include 6 GHz, suggesting
that 2.5 GHz or 5 GHz bands are rather insufficient. The 2.5 GHz
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5
range is used mostly in consumer products, which is why it’s very
saturated with signals. Although 5 GHz offers a more convenient
option to the interference-prone 2.5 GHz, it has an inadequate
spectrum for wider bandwidth channels.
In a proposal, these industry leaders insisted that 6 GHz is
imperative to meeting the demands of the future of wireless
broadband services. The Wi-Fi Alliance is also advocating for
additional unlicensed spectrum for wireless connectivity in 6 GHz
bands. They, too, believe that making Wi-Fi 6 available to unlicensed
device users around the world will drive innovations and investment,
as well as excellent user experiences, for the years to come.
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The Need
There’s a growing need for wireless connectivity which existing
wireless standards can’t fulfill. Compared to the 2.4 GHz Wi-
Fi, 5 GHz offers faster data speeds and less congestion, but

for Wi-Fi its coverage is way smaller. The 2.4 GHz band provides slower
speeds. However, it covers wider distances. In other words, 5 GHz

Spectrum is ideal for small spaces, while 2.4 GHz is suited more for better
Wi-Fi signal outdoors.

Expansion The saturated use of the 2.4 GHz band and the use and
restrictions of the 5 GHz spectrum opens a whole new market
with a growing need for a broadband capacity that can deliver
both clear uninterrupted signal at a wider range and less to no
latency or errors.
Figure 1: Global mobile data traffic offload to Wi-Fi, Cisco
Billions of people rely on the Wi-Fi ecosystem. According to
the Wi-Fi Alliance, the wireless ecosystem carries over half of
the world’s internet traffic. The amount of new Wi-Fi devices
is growing every year and more mobile device users prefer to While it may seem the introduction of 5G will reduce Wi-Fi offload, it
connect over Wi-Fi rather than mobile whenever able. A recent is more likely to increase the demand. 4G and 5G networks are driving
study from Cisco VNI predicts Wi-Fi offload traffic will make up the creation of new devices and applications that will have even
59% of mobile device traffic by 2022. higher data demands, further driving the need for Wi-Fi offload.

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 In the US, Wi-Fi 6 GHz band might soon be available for Wi- Regulatory Affairs at Wi-Fi Alliance, Wi-Fi technology provides
Current Status Fi unlicensed use. In October 2018, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai
announced new rules to allow the expansion of the 6 GHz Wi-Fi
the fastest stream of data transmission despite traffic of different
signals and data types. To accommodate the growing need for data

and Timeline band to unlicensed devices without causing harmful interference

to authorized and licensed services already operating in this
requirements, wider channels and more innovations must be made
available to the common unlicensed device user.

of 6 GHz frequency. Unlicensed devices, which this frequency band is open

to, include Wi-Fi routers, baby monitors, fitness trackers, cordless
Europe is considering this as well. In a statement, UK’s
communications regulator Ofcom mentioned they’re continuing to

Regulation landline phones, and internet-ready home appliances.

According to Alex Roytblat, the Senior Director of Worldwide

monitor the developments of the sixth generation Wi-Fi to better
understand its advantages. Once it launches, countries around the
world should follow suit.

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Band
Computers and other devices that are interconnected via a wireless
local area network usually send and transmit data through the 2.4
GHz frequency. The frequency allows a wider scope or range of

Advantages connectivity but experiences some limitations. For instance, densely

populated areas that see a growing amount of data may experience

of 6 GHz more latency and errors.

5 GHz Wi-Fi frequency, on the other hand, provides a smoother

alternative. The difference is evident in the higher speed, clearer signal,
and less overlapping channels. However, a downside is still in place
with limited signal range. Most devices are now made with dual-band
capability to make it easy to switch between these two networks.

Wi-Fi 6—once commercially available to the FCC unlicensed

spectrum—can offer a maximum of 9.6 gigabytes per second, and
it can be split among a network of several devices. It can provide
four times the amount of throughput per user despite congested
environments.
Figure 2: Throughput Vs. Range per band
Under the 802.11ax, 2.4 GHz bands are 20 MHz wide and have a rate of
573 Mbps, while 5 GHz bands are 80 MHz wide, and its rate can go up
to 2402 Mbps. The sixth generation of Wi-Fi, on the other hand, are 160
MHZ wide, and it can go up to 4804 Mbps.

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Band
The improvement that comes with Wi-Fi 6 not only applies to the
speed that each device or user will experience. Now, the spectrum
has gone even wider with the addition of smart and internet-ready

Advantages appliances, such as televisions, refrigerators, home assistants, and

others. The ability of a local network to handle more than 10 devices at

of 6 GHz a time can be sustained smoothly.

Wi-Fi 6 is also ideal for applications that require wider channel

bandwidth such as gaming systems, immersive technologies, and
cloud-based apps as it offers low latency and faster connectivity.
Cloud-based services have become a crucial part of our everyday
Figure 3: Comparison of channel band, throughput and standards mix
lives. From streaming services and work-from-home solutions to
productivity suites, people are using wireless connectivity for daily
activities. Needless to say, there’s a significant increase in Wi-Fi
demand. The sixth generation of Wi-Fi is expected to fulfill these
demands as it launches sometime next year.

The current Wi-Fi network can allow all of these but at the price of
speed and stability. And that’s just within a household. We still haven’t
considered the Wi-Fi mesh technology within a neighborhood or a
city. With all the data being streamed, transmitted, and received on an
overburdened network, errors and latency are to be expected.

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Which
The 2.4 GHz band is an Industrial, Scientific, and Medical radio band,
which means no license is required to operate on this frequency.
That’s why many smart home devices such as gaming systems and

Services Fit wearables use this band. The 5 GHz band has higher throughput and
offers less congestion. With 23 non-overlapping channels, it’s best for

the 6 GHz accessing newer technologies such as augmented reality and massive
file sharing programs.

Band? As for the next generation of Wi-Fi, it offers about four times the speed
in congested areas and greater bandwidth. This frequency range can
also be used for immersive technologies, video-over-WiFi, and massive
file sharing. The 6 GHz frequency band offers a more dynamic Wi-Fi
technology that allows communication and check-in between devices
and routers simultaneously or at a scheduled time. A Wi-Fi 6 router Figure 4: Types of services and their fit per band

can communicate with multiple devices at the same time, at the level
each device requires.

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Why Make
A lot of perks come with the fastest Wi-Fi technology. Unfortunately,
not all devices can be connected to Wi-Fi 6 due to hardware
deficiency. The capability is not software-based. The good news is

the Move to that newer devices are already being manufactured with a default 6
GHz band capability. Users due for an upgrade are more likely to get a

Adopt 6 GHz? device that is Wi-Fi 6-ready.

This also means that users will need to purchase a router with a Wi-Fi
Chipset that corresponds with this new technology. A Wi-Fi 6 router is
actually more practical in the long run. It can also communicate and
accommodate older devices that are not Wi-Fi 6-capable. The best
and fastest Wi-Fi routers, ones which support Gigabit internet speeds
and greater bandwidth allocation, should be able to dynamically
switch bands according to each device specification.

There’s also the advantage of reduced home interference. Currently,

there are challenges to ISM bands (industrial, scientific and medical
radio bands) that share the same frequency, leading to poor standards
in Wi-Fi performance. Devices that can affect said performance
include wireless headsets, cell phones, and other Bluetooth devices.
With Wi-Fi 6, you can avoid this kind of interference and gain the
benefit of a cleaner band.

At this same note, service providers and technology manufacturers

need to prepare for a system-wide upgrade to keep up with evolving
technology. Just last December, AT&T launched its 5G 6 Ghz network
in 12 high-traffic cities across the U.S.

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ElasticMIMO:
The world needs a dynamic configuration in the public, work, and ElasticMIMO is a scalable solution that caters to all Wi-Fi needs.
home setting that will allow a user to seamlessly connect to the It can be applied to various Wi-Fi standards. Not only that, it can
internet without any disruption or glitches. With the addition of 6 GHz dynamically allocate MIMO streams between bands to optimize

A Better bands to the wireless spectrum, service providers now have to face a
crucial challenge—optimizing wireless connectivity for various home
data speed and to eliminate errors during transmission and
reception. It can shift between 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands

Connectivity environments. with little to no interruption.

Access points must be able to dynamically allocate between Wi- An ElasticMIMO system is an AI-enabled solution that learns users’

Solution for Fi transceivers. Wi-Fi 6-enabled devices might still have to take
advantage of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands to boost the wireless network
patterns and behaviors. In doing so, it is able to adapt the Wi-Fi
architecture to maximize the network’s performance and fit users’

the Next performance, as well as its range. To optimize the available 6 GHz
bandwidth, APs must reserve 6 GHz channels for applications and
needs in real time. While ElasticMIMO reserves 6 GHz channels for
Wi-Fi 6, it’s also capable of supporting legacy clients through 2.4

Generation of devices that demand wider channel bandwidth. GHz and 5 GHz bands.

Wi-Fi

Are you ready for Wi-Fi 6?

Read more about ElasticMIMO™ and its capacity to facilitate the rise of the next generation of Wi-Fi.

Download our whitepaper on The Fundamentals of ElasticMIMO™ now

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