Every new generation of Wi-Fi has delivered significant advances in speed, coverage, capacity and reliability. With Wi-Fi 7, wireless connectivity takes a huge leap forward, opening up capabilities never before possible.
Officially known as IEEE 802.11be Extremely High Throughput, Wi-Fi 7 promises theoretical maximum throughput of 46Gbps and as little as 1 percent of the latency of Wi-Fi 6. Ultimately, this will enable the delivery of 4K and 8K video, improved cloud gaming, and augmented reality and virtual reality applications.
These capabilities enable organizations in a wide range of industries to boost revenue, increase efficiency and deliver exceptional customer experiences. Retail stores could use virtual reality to deliver real-time 3-D views of products. Healthcare providers could treat more patients safely and accurately, while schools can enhance learning with virtual reality tools. All of this is made possible by Wi-Fi 7’s fast data rates and pervasive connectivity.
Digging into the Details
Multi-Link Operation (MLO) reduces latency by enabling devices to send and receive data simultaneously across different frequency bands and channels. Orthogonal frequency division multiple access (ODMFA) further reduces latency and congestion by transmitting smaller “resource units” of data to multiple devices simultaneously. A new feature called Multiple Resource Unit (MRU) enhances the efficiency of ODMFA by mitigating interference. Wi-Fi also supports 320MHz channel widths, compared to a maximum of 160MHz in Wi-Fi 6.
A New Approach to Wireless Design
Wi-Fi 7 adoption starts with a comprehensive survey and analysis of the existing wireless network to define a baseline on which to build. Organizations should then employ smart wireless design techniques to create a network that can dynamically optimize its settings based on real-time conditions. Intelligent channel selection, user location awareness and other “smart” features will automatically adapt to changing needs and provide the best possible connection for each device.
Cisco Takes the Lead in Wi-Fi 7 Technology
The Cisco Spaces smart building platform is included in the license, enabling customers to transform any space into a smart space with seamless and secure connectivity and integration with multivendor devices and applications. The Cisco Networking Subscription can also include Cisco Wireless Essentials and Advantage, giving customers a range of management features with simplified licensing, renewals and support.
Cerium is a longtime Cisco partner with advanced certifications and deep expertise across the Cisco product line. We also have specialists dedicated to helping customers maximize the value of their Cisco licenses and subscriptions. Let us help you determine if Wi-Fi 7 is right for your operations and develop a plan for implementing Cisco’s new solutions.
