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Why The Future of Wi-Fi is Managed: Wi-Fi 8 and AI

Are you finding it hard to keep up with Wi-Fi standards?

Whilst we are still in the midst of telecommunications providers rolling out Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7, we’re already being bombarded with how the next generation is taking shape. 

We’re beginning to see the definitions of Wi-Fi 8, with early pre-standard products being expected to land in 2027 followed by standardised devices in 2028. 

The step up to Wi-Fi 7 has largely been about speed, with it being nearly 4 times as fast as Wi-Fi 6. Wi-Fi 8 on the other hand, as you will likely have read about already, is focusing more on real-world performance – Namely reliability and stability. Hugely important things when it comes to Wi-Fi networks we’re sure you’ll agree. 

The industry is also simultaneously being reshaped by AI. We’re seeing AI everywhere – Maybe even at times when you don’t even realise it is in fact AI! Imagery, video content, social media platforms, captions, blogs – It is absolutely everywhere. And it’s coming for your Wi-Fi. 

So how will AI impact connectivity, and how quickly? 

Wi-Fi is getting more powerful and more complex

What we know about tech is that things are constantly striving to improve. Bigger, better, faster, stronger. Wi-Fi 8 and AI are promising significant improvements, but let’s remember that they are arriving in a world where consumers are actually pretty frustrated with Wi-Fi. 

Consumers demand strong connectivity and reliability – But often without the understanding of the fundamentals of Wi-Fi. Do people realise how sensitive Wi-Fi can be to interference? Things like neighbouring networks, microwaves, Bluetooth devices, baby monitors, even people moving about a room or office. 

Every time we move to a new standard and a new generation of Wi-Fi emerges, the number of parameters and optimisations increases. What does this mean? Well, in short, the average person will no longer be able to tune their own networks. You’re probably going to need a Wi-Fi engineer. (Like us here at Geekabit! Hello!).

Now whilst our Wi-Fi expert engineers understand the sensitivities of Wi-Fi interference and other factors, the average consumer may not. And this is where telecommunications providers get in a tricky spot. When the Wi-Fi underperforms, the end user doesn’t think ‘Oh that’s just Margaret heating up her lunch with the microwave’ – They blame the internet provider.

When it comes to Wi-Fi problems, many end users and consumers will blur the lines between ‘My Wi-Fi is slow’ and ‘My internet is slow.’ The broadband being delivered to the premises may well be performing just fine, but it’s actually interference within the building that’s causing the Wi-Fi to buffer and fail. 

So what needs to come next? 

Managed Wi-Fi

The way forward for telecommunications providers and happy, non-frustrated consumers is Managed Wi-Fi.

Telecommunication providers will be able to use a cloud-based control platform, where they can consistently collect performance data from home Wi-Fi devices and automatically optimise key parameters. This would completely remove the burden from the end user. 

Instead of end users trying to guess whether they should change a band or a channel, or change a setting, the network would adjust itself—often even before the customer notices an issue.

As we said above, consumers expert strong, reliable Wi-Fi – And not just to their door, but to every receiving user device. Managed Wi-Fi will also enable telecommunication providers to shift the demarcation point from the front door and actually into the home. 

Companies need to be doing more than just delivering high speeds to the router – Telecommunications providers need to make sure that high quality connectivity is achieved in every room of a premises. Mesh networking and centralised cloud optimisation will allow them to do exactly that.

A managed platform will be able to see all Wi-Fi nodes across a network. This means it will be able to reduce operational expenses by giving customer care agents and network administrators better visibility into the root causes of any issues. 

Managed Wi-Fi significantly shortens resolution time and reduces operating costs, even without AI enhancements.

Transformative AI will accelerate Managed Wi-Fi

Cloud platforms already gather enormous volumes of data. We’re talking around 200 billion data points in a 24 hour period across deployed devices. 

This gives telecommunications companies a huge amount of data and detail about exactly Wi-Fi behaves in real-world environments.  

It won’t be long before AI and machine learning will enable telecommunications providers to use these data points for even deeper insights. 

For example:

  • Identifying the root cause of any issues by correlating symptoms across the premises, the access link and the RF environment
  • Reducing the need for a customer agent walk through by automatically eliminating unlikely causes
  • Assisting support teams by giving improved guidance so that issues can be resolved on the first try
  • Optimising Wi-Fi conditions across millions of premises in a way that is not currently practical

Those that have already deployed Managed Wi-Fi will be best positioned to benefit from these insights when the industry makes this leap forward. 

How will this be monetised?

A survey conducted by Nokia gathered data from 600 gamers – A data set known for their hardcore broadband use. Results suggest that 8 out of 10 would be willing to switch broadband providers if it meant better Wi-Fi. Not only that, but they’d also be prepared to pay a premium for it too.

Once a telecommunication provider is delivering reliable, optimised coverage, other value-added opportunities arise. Consumers are increasingly willing to pay for additional services and features like 

  • Cybersecurity
  • Parental controls
  • Smart home protection, etc.

Whilst these can be sold as add-ons, they can also be bundled into higher-tier broadband packages. And once a customer finds a package deal that meets their needs, the tend to rarely downgrade. 

Wi-Fi 8 and AI are well on the way

Whilst there are many fantastic opportunities that Wi-Fi 8 and AI will bring, they will also bring complexities. The best thing to do is prepare for it now.  

Next generation connectivity will be made possible with Managed Wi-Fi through the platform, the data, and the operational framework. Will telecommunication providers take full advantage of what’s coming next?

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Tech Labour Manifesto Pledges: 5G, Broadband, AI and More

On the 4th July we saw the Labour party secure a landslide victory in the election, with Sir Keir Starmer becoming our new Prime Minister.

With the recent Microsoft problems that saw the UK digital world crash rather spectacularly,  we thought we’d take a little look at the top 5 tech policies promised by the Labour Party in its manifesto, including Digital Infrastructure, Broadband & 5G, AI Regulation & Investment, Cyber Security and Tech Innovation. 

Labour Manifesto and Digital Infrastructure

  • Digital Infrastructure will be given a boost by developing a 10-year infrastructure strategy. This will benefit mobile and broadband networks, AI, and data centres.
  • Approval processes will be streamlined for nationally important designated projects and data centres by easing planning restrictions. 
  • Restarting the economy with a new industrial strategy, designed to supercharge the tech and digital sectors. 
  • Overcome previous planning blocks by supporting the construction of data centres on brownfield sites.

Plans for Broadband and 5G in the Labour Manifesto

  • Target ambition of having national 5G coverage and full gigabit accessibility by 2030 to have a renewed push. 
  • Encourage cooperative building between networks and greater infrastructure sharing by working alongside Ofcom. 
  • Continue to support the last governments Project Gigabit broadband roll-out program.
  • In addition to the above, address the slow roll-out of gigabit broadband under the Conservative government.

Regulation and Investment for AI

  • Labour plans to introduce binding regulations on companies developing powerful AI models and give the AI Safety Institute statutory footing.
  • The creation of sexually explicit deep fakes will be banned and safe AI development will be ensured through comprehensive legislation.
  • They will use the industrial strategy to support the development of the AI sector.
  • New laws will be introduced to regulate AI companies, ensuring ethical AI practices.

What Has Labour Got Planned for Cyber Security

  • Labour will address cyber attacks and misinformation campaigns by conducting a Strategic Defence Review within the first year.
  • Policing techniques will be modernised by integrating new technologies into law enforcement to keep pace with modern threats
  • Critical infrastructure will be protected by developing a comprehensive cyber defence strategy.
  • Labour is committed to ensuring the UK is fully prepared to deal with hybrid warfare, including cyber-attacks.

Tech Innovation and Regulation with the Labour Party in Power

  • In order to help regulators update regulations and speed up approval timelines for new technologies, a new Regulatory Innovation Office will be created. 
  • In order to help harness new technologies and advise businesses, an Industrial Strategy Council will be set up.  
  • The construction of laboratories, digital infrastructure, and giga-factories will be facilitated by modernising national planning policy. 
  • Barriers to growth will be removed and opportunities seized by working in partnership with industry. 

What’s Next?

We’ve seen first hand over the past few days how important digital infrastructure is and how much we all rely on it to go about our daily lives – From paying for groceries, to travelling, to simply trying to log on to be able to start a days work. It’s likely you’ve been affected some way or another by the most recent Microsoft outage. And whilst that was supposedly down to an operating system crash, it’s clear Labour need to follow the tech pledges they have made in their manifesto and commit to following through with those promises. 

Here at Geekabit we’re most interested in connectivity and keeping up to date with how we can help businesses and large private residences stay reliably connected – Whether they’re based in the city or in a more rural, remote location. Will we see national 5G coverage and full gigabit accessibility by 2030? We’ll have to wait and see. 

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The Wireless Broadband Alliance’s CEO Makes 10 Wi-Fi Predictions for 2024

The WBA (Wireless Broadband Alliance) has recently released their latest Annual Industry Report (you can read it here). WBA CEO Tiago Rodrigues has subsequently revealed 10 predictions about how wireless technology will be used by communities and businesses across the globe in 2024 and beyond – From improved connectivity to new consumer experiences. 

What will 2024 have in store for the world of Wi-Fi? Here are the 10 Wi-Fi predictions made by WBA CEO for next year and beyond

  1. Prevalence of Gbps, fibre broadband and Wi-Fi 6E/7 to increase

    Moving forwards, speeds of 10 Gbps will become more prevalent. The deployment of fibre broadband will continue in most developed and developing markets. This will in turn create a need for home networks to make upgrades in order to utilise this increased bandwidth with their devices. The knock on effect of this will lead to a rapid adoption of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7. The new ability to access additional spectrum in the 6GHz band will also drive the adoption of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 as countries open the band.
  2. Wi-Fi 7, gaming and video

    With Wi-Fi 7 comes increased capabilities for advanced gaming, video content and immersive experiences. It’s forecasted that video game revenue globally could increased by 50% over the next 5 years. Network equipment will be as vital to gaming as the gaming rig itself. Wi-Fi 7 will be the driving force for the speeds needed as well as near-to-zero latency.New immersive experiences will see game developers breaking barriers. We’ve already started to see Wi-Fi 7 devices with Qualcomm chipsets this year and this will continue into 2024.
  3. OpenRoaming, 5G and IoT networks

    The growth of OpenRoaming is set to continue into next yet, extending further in order to integrate with private 5G and IoT networks. By 2026 it will have reached a critical point of exponential growth with the enabling of tens of millions of hotspots. PassPoint OpenRoaming deployments continue to rise, with more brands and identity providers recognising the value, enabling seamless connectivity across different networks.
  4. Co-existence of 5G and Wi-Fi 6E / Wi-Fi 7

    The integration of 5G services and Wi-Fi will progress, with the expectation that network engineers will deploy both Wi-Fi and cellular in the coming years. For example, using Wi-Fi 6E/7 for indoor, on-campus, fixed network situations and 5G in outdoor, off-campus, mobile environments. The Wi-Fi community is working to coexist with 5G, especially in identity management, authentication and policy management cases.
  5. Network as a Service

    NaaS is currently seen in managed Wi-Fi services in multi-apartment units and will continue to spread beyond these early adopters. Traditional enterprises will acquire NaaS for networks in cloud-first, software-defined, application-centric environments. Why is NaaS attracting customers? Because not only does it accelerate the deployment of devices but it also simplifies it. It also improves security with continuous security updates that prevent and reduce outages and breaches. 
  6. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

    The role of AI and ML cannot be overemphasised. Adaptive AI is predicted to rapidly increase on networks. Not only will it enable Automated Frequency Coordination, it will also be able to predict network resourcing needs. We will also see AI help enterprises and Internet Service Providers accelerate troubleshooting and streamline monitoring as well as proactively anticipating outages, equipment failures, and performance degradation.
  7. Outdoor Automated Frequency Coordination and Rural Connectivity

    In countries that have opened large parts of the 6GHz spectrum to Wi-Fi, rural connectivity will find success with outdoor AFC. The rapid growth of 6GHz low-power indoor (LP) devices with an average transmit power of 24 dBm is expected for indoor applications such as residential mesh, indoor public venues, and high-density enterprise networks. The adoption of 6GHz very low-power indoor (VPI) devices with 14 dBm maximum transmit power is also expected for short-range indoor applications such as AR/VR/XR, streaming, and gaming. Users of these devices do not require Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC).
  8. Unified connectivity with IoT tech and Matter

    Smart home users will transform their experience with new IoT technology, helping to unify connectivity across multiple devices within the home. Matter will also provide a reliable, secure connection across multiple device manufacturers. The adoption of Matter certified products is expected to grow exponentially in the next 3 years, largely due to the brands involved in manufacturing the devices, like Apple, Amazon, Google and Samsung to name but a few. This adoption of Matter enabled devices in the Smart home will further validate Wi-Fi’s role as being central to the smart connected home.
  9. TIP Open Wi-Fi to rapidly increase

    Community-developed, disaggregated Wi-Fi software system TIP Open Wi-Fi will rapidly grow through further pilot projects and trials in developing countries and price-sensitive markets. This is due to its cost-effectiveness and the benefits offered by an open disaggregated model. The more well-established WLAN vendors will also continue to try and be more cost-effective in these markets by investing in ML and AI as well as offering integrated Wi-Fi and 5G to enterprises.
  10. Prevalence of augmented and virtual reality will increase in homes and workplaces

    Our day to day lives at home and work will start to see a larger share of augmented and virtual reality. This in turn will mean that indoor broadband networks will be required to adapt and improve in user interfaces and network capabilities, particularly when catering for larger groups of users.  By 2025, it’s expected that the metaverse’s economy will generate $800 million (and $2.5 trillion by 2030). Thus, big brands are investing in this technology as the universe of the future. 

What does Tiago Rodrigues have to say?

“There has never been a more exciting time for Wi-Fi with technologies such as OpenRoaming more widely available than ever and addressing the challenges in areas including Guest Wi-Fi provision, IoT deployments and private cellular networks. The HaLow program is creating huge interest in low-power extended range Wi-Fi and we are looking forward to working with the Wi-Fi ecosystem to develop industry trials for Wi-Fi 7 during 2024.”

CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance

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