Wi-Fi 7 trials show doubled throughput & lower latency for firms

The Wireless Broadband Alliance has released the findings of Wi-Fi 7 industry trials carried out in enterprise environments in partnership with AT&T, CommScope and Intel.

The trials were conducted to assess Wi-Fi 7's performance in real-world business scenarios, comparing it against Wi-Fi 6E across both 5 GHz and 6 GHz frequency bands. Testing took place in live enterprise environments and focused on key metrics such as throughput, latency, efficiency and reliability. According to the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), significant gains were observed in all core areas assessed, with implications for organisations reliant on high-demand applications.

Results from the trials indicated that Wi-Fi 7 delivered nearly double the throughput of Wi-Fi 6E at 5 GHz when using 40 MHz channels. Trials in the 6 GHz band using 160 MHz channels saw Wi-Fi 7 sustaining over 1 Gbps throughput up to 40 feet from the access point, with nearly 2 Gbps downlink recorded at close range.

The trials also noted lower latency and improved network efficiency, highlighting Wi-Fi 7's suitability for next-generation enterprise applications, including augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), video conferencing, automation, and other real-time processes.

Network reliability, particularly in high-density enterprise settings, was another area of improvement. In conditions simulating thousands of devices connected simultaneously, Wi-Fi 7's enhanced spectral efficiency and Multi-Link Operation (MLO) technology enabled stable connectivity and successfully mitigated network congestion during heavy loads.

The findings also emphasised Wi-Fi 7's ability to address connectivity challenges associated with new and legacy devices, ensuring backwards compatibility and easing infrastructure transitions for enterprises. Organisations in sectors such as smart offices, manufacturing, healthcare, and immersive digital services are projected to benefit from the increased throughput and reduced latency, with support for mission-critical functions and real-time collaboration made more robust under Wi-Fi 7.

Trials primarily focused on enterprise environments using 160 MHz channels in the 6 GHz band, typical for large-scale commercial deployments with multiple access points. However, the WBA noted that most contemporary Wi-Fi 7 devices also support 320 MHz channels, which are expected to be more widely used in smaller network deployments, providing potential for even greater performance gains in hybrid work and residential settings. Previous WBA reports have covered the impact of Wi-Fi 7 in residential scenarios, documenting increased performance for those environments as well.

Tiago Rodrigues, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Wireless Broadband Alliance, said, "Wi-Fi 7 is not just an evolution, it's a game changer for enterprise connectivity. These trials prove that Wi-Fi 7 offers real-world improvements in speed, reliability, and efficiency that businesses need to support the next generation of applications. As adoption accelerates, enterprises will see tangible benefits in everything from hybrid work and immersive experiences to AI-driven automation. The WBA is committed to ensuring the industry has the data and insights needed to maximise Wi-Fi 7's potential."

JR Wilson, Vice-President of Tower Strategy and Roaming at AT&T, commented, "Enterprises are demanding more from their Wi-Fi networks than ever before. These trials confirm that Wi-Fi 7 can deliver the high-performance, low-latency connectivity required for modern digital environments. At AT&T, we see Wi-Fi 7 as a key enabler for businesses looking to optimise their operations and embrace the future of connectivity."

Mittal Parekh, Senior Director of Business Development, RUCKUS Networks at CommScope, added, "Wi-Fi 7 introduces groundbreaking features like Multi-Link Operation (MLO) and 4K QAM, which significantly enhance network efficiency and throughput. Our participation in these trials has demonstrated how enterprises can leverage these advancements to enable the most demanding applications in the most challenging environment in various industry verticals."

Eric A. McLaughlin, Vice President and General Manager of Connectivity Solutions Group at Intel Corporation, stated, "6 GHz Wi-Fi 7 marks a major leap forward in wireless technology, and the results of our collaboration in these trials reinforce its real-world benefits. Business PC users can enjoy enhanced productivity and collaboration experiences in the office or in hybrid work scenarios as 160 MHz channel use scales broadly across corporate networks and 320 MHz channels become mainstream at home."

"With improved spectrum utilisation and dramatic performance improvements, the findings of the trial help underscore Wi-Fi 7's ability to meet the needs of next-gen applications in enterprise, industrial, and residential settings."

The Wireless Broadband Alliance has indicated it will continue to work with industry partners to advance Wi-Fi 7 adoption, develop deployment strategies, and provide enterprises with guidance to leverage the full capabilities of Wi-Fi 7 technology.