How Will WI-FI 6 and 5G Change Connectivity As We Know It

February 27, 2020

Business Technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, and you are trying your best to keep up with the latest trends. Consequently, you are also increasing the number of devices on your cellular and wireless networks.

Increased traffic and demand for better performance has pushed us to evolve and find better, more efficient ways to connect. If we want to realize the “futuristic” world of smart cities and IoT, we must push our connections further. And now we will be able to connect even faster to the internet with WI-FI 6 and 5G.

The “hype” surrounding these two technologies is not new, but it is time to start preparing for the ultimate changes we will see. As a business owner or high-level executive, you will want to prepare for these changes so that you can take full advantage of faster wireless internet speeds.

“The next generation of wireless and cellular technologies, both Wi-Fi 6 and 5G bring the promise of higher capacity, lower latency, and increased efficiency in both the consumer and enterprise markets” according to BizTech.

We are in the early stages of implementing both technologies, but they will play a vital role in networking going forward.

What is 5G?

5G is the next generation of cellular, following LTE and LTE Advanced. But it is more than just increased speeds and more data.

“It’s providing the ability to not just connect millions of devices for IoT or massive machine-to-machine communications, but actually billions of devices,” says Chris Pearson, president of 5G Americas, an advocacy organization. He also added, “Any business that wants a very secure, reliable network with a lot of service capabilities from end to end will be looking at 5G as an option.”

What is WI-FI 6?

Wi-Fi 6 (or 802.11ax) is the most recent standard for wireless transmission – it is faster, broader, and “smarter”.

Wi-Fi 6 trials, performed by companies like Cisco, Intel, Boingo and the Wireless Broadband Alliance, showed that, even when used in challenging environments that demand a ton of connected devices—crowded sporting events, highly-trafficked airports and large industrial parks—Wi-Fi 6 provided faster speeds, improved security and more reliable connectivity.

We can expect increased efficiency and reduced lag time with Wi-Fi 6 enabled devices.

Image Source: Intel

Advantages for Business

The adoption of both 5G and Wi-Fi 6 are still in early stages, but both hold huge potential for businesses of all sizes. Every sector will benefit from faster data speeds and less latency on the network, but industries that rely heavily on connected devices and mobility stand to gain the most from these new technologies.

“Using Wi-Fi 6, enterprises can accelerate the adoption of what’s known as the Intelligent Edge – the place where real-time business actions and analytics meet through technology – to enhance end-user and application experiences, optimize connectivity for IoT devices, deliver data compute and insights, and enable real-time IT automation and control.” David Chen, The Beacon

The same advantages that can help businesses become more efficient will also help their workers become more efficient, while maintaining or even improving their work/life balance. Strong connections for collaboration technology are imperative. Remote work is powered by technologies such as videoconferencing and mobile phones, and those need to be synced properly in order to be effective.

Only time will tell how organizations will leverage improved wireless technology.

WI-FI 6 Use Cases

Collaboration: Better Experience with Video & Voice - This means that an end-user can work from anywhere like inside the office, or outside the office without compromising the experience.

In-building Wireless Coverage - Clutter with cabling will be eliminated because you don’t have to be physically connected via cables.

The Intelligent Edge and Cloud Computing - Resources in the cloud will be more accessible.

IoT Convergence - The number of devices can drastically increase. More bandwidth heavy devices can be used wirelessly, like IP surveillance cameras, with an improved performance.

5G Use Cases

Seamless Wireless Experience - Working in conjunction with Wi-Fi 6, 5G will help users to have the best connection, wherever they are.

Backup Connection - New firewalls are Wi-Fi 6 and 5G enabled, which allows you to use 5G as your backup connection.

Reliable Connection - Good connection for remote workforce and mobile devices.

What's Next?

5G adoption is slowly moving forward. Service providers are beginning to make changes to further the deployment of 5G wireless networks. According to BizTech, there have been 51 commercial deployments so far, and at minimum all the major mobile service providers have plans for 5G rollouts.

WIFI 6 enabled devices are already available for purchase. And, according to Intel the best time to deploy Wi-Fi 6 is right now. You can now experience the faster, better internet connection with WIFI 6 enabled routers, and WIFI 6 enabled laptops.

It’s time to get excited for something that is sure to revolutionize the way we work. What may have seemed impossible in the past, can soon be realized as we continue to improve wireless connections. If you’re looking to assess your network and prepare for Wi-Fi 6 and 5G, reach out to our team today!

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