SPOTLIGHT Wi-Fi 6
Wi-Fi 6’s time is now! Wi-Fi 6 will
be critical to the hyper-connected future for enterprises, as
as it supports more devices with much lower latency than Wi-Fi 5, writes Dominikus Hierl, Quectel
[Image: Praveen Kumar Mathivanan for Unsplash]
W
i-Fi 6 is already a proven technology. According to International Data Corp. (IDC), 79% of all
Wi-Fi shipments will support Wi-Fi 6 in the next two years, up from half of all shipments in 2021 – more than 3.5 billion Wi-Fi 6 devices are expected to be shipped this year.
In its 2021 study of advanced wireless adoption, consulting firm Deloitte found that decision makers globally regarded Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 5 as the most critical wireless technologies for their business initiatives. The 2020 version of the report cited 4G/LTE and earlier Wi- Fi technologies as being most critical. No doubt the next version of the study will focus on Wi-Fi 6, particularly with its advanced capabilities to handle the growing demand for reliable connectivity, to take advantage of new and emerging 5G services.
Wi-Fi 6 benefits Wi-Fi 6 technology uses orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), which supports high-density deployments. This technology offers the bandwidth necessary for multiple users accessing the network simultaneously, helping to reduce power consumption of devices while also providing high- quality connectivity. So, anyone buying Wi-Fi 5 devices today should seriously reconsider, since they will soon be outdated, with the advantages going to the enterprises that chose the faster, newer Wi-Fi 6. Wi-Fi 6 supports unified communica- tions, cloud computing, augmented and
8 May 2022 | Automation
virtual reality, as well as telepresence – all critical capabilities for the forward- looking enterprise of the future. With its high data rates, low latency and high network density, this technology is ideal for video applications that need high throughput, as well as for those needing to support a large number of connected devices. Here are just a few examples: ● For enterprises, Wi-Fi 6 offers
improved connectivity for employees, guests and visitors as well as for different smart devices within an office, factory, warehouse or other facility. Wi-Fi 6 is often a more cost-effective approach for deploying Industry 4.0 smart manufacturing compared to cellular. The advantages of the technology will spur enterprises to purchase 13.4 million of the such systems in 2026, up from 4.3 million in 2021, says ABI Research. ● According to Deloitte, municipalities
are already using a combination of Wi-Fi 5 and 6 to provide critical communications, including real-time traffic monitoring and for personalised alerts to anyone in a pre-defined, geofenced area. ● Similarly, sports stadiums have deployed Wi-Fi 5 and 6 to provide a more immersive experience, enabling tens of thousands of fans in a single location to have access to social sharing, order concessions, the latest statistics and more. The installation of Wi-Fi 6 access points and analytics support for the Manchester United Club at Old Trafford will begin later this year, to provide fast, reliable Wi-Fi connectivity for fans, whilst increasing the Club’s capability to deliver high-performance, low-latency
and secure digital services. ● Healthcare is using Wi-Fi 6 to provide real-time, remote patient monitoring, tele-health solutions and remote healthcare procedures using medical robots.
● Connected autos are prime candidates for Wi-Fi 6 connectivity. According to an Ericsson report, the connected car market will exceed $166bn by 2025. These vehicles will rely on Wi-Fi 6 connectivity supporting ultra- high definition (ultra-HD) video streaming on multiple displays, screen mirroring from compatible devices and wireless back-up cameras. Beyond those in-vehicle devices,
Wi-Fi 6’s full MIMO client capability will offer high data rates at extended ranges, which is essential for connecting to external access points for critical automotive services, including vehicle diagnostics, software updates and automatic check-ins at dealerships. To optimise Wi-Fi 6 performance, enterprises, municipalities and others will want to use industrial-grade modules designed to deliver faster, more secure and more robust Wi-Fi experiences as well as new Bluetooth audio capabilities. The modules should be designed to provide enhanced performance in capacity, data rates, latency, power consumption and coverage, for premium wireless performance.
CONTACT:
Quectel
www.quectel.com
automationmagazine.co.uk
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