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Is Your Business the 1 in 5 with Insufficient Internet Speeds? 

Business leaders and decision makers from 160 UK companies were surveyed on their businesses broadband speeds during June 2023 by Neos Networks – 1 in every 5 were found to have broadband speeds that were insufficient. 

Furthermore, 42% of those surveyed planned to move to a higher capacity connection during the next two years as part of their key growth plans. 

Investment in Connectivity

Over the previous 2 years, 11.2% of respondents who had already invested in connectivity said it had a direct impact on their business profitability. 

And it’s not just profitability that’s impacted by good connectivity in business. 98.3% of surveyed businesses said it also impacted:

  • Productivity
  • Staff retention
  • Client collaboration

Why Are Businesses Prioritising Higher Capacity Connectivity?

Why might businesses prioritise higher capacity connectivity? Better performing broadband impacting many parts of the business, including:

  • Increased computer power (22.4%)
  • Operational development in terms of more data and higher capacity requirements (21.2%)
  • Greater device usage for each employee (11.6%)

With the prevalence of AI being used in business, this also influenced decisions to improve and increase connectivity with 1 in 10 businesses actively looking to increase connectivity in order to better integrate AI into their business processes.

What Is The Negative Impact of Insufficient Broadband Speeds in Business?

Poor internet connectivity, speed and/or reliability doesn’t just negatively impact employee productivity and retention, it can also cause businesses to risk losing a customer or client. 55.6% of businesses surveyed felt like they were at risk of losing custom down to poor internet. 

Has Project Gigabit Had A Notable Impact on Business Broadband?

The businesses being surveyed were asked if they felt their business had felt a notable impact from Project Gigabit, of which 52.5% said yes. 

Project Gigabit is a £5 billion government broadband plan aiming to deliver next-generation gigabit broadband to over a million households and businesses across the UK. You can read about their progress here. 

Project Gigabit didn’t actually start to award contracts until August 2022, so it’s possible that the above percentage figure is reflective of respondents including other similar schemes (like the Gigabit voucher and GigaHubs Dark Fibre) or other commercial upgrades to broadband services. 

Let’s Focus on the Positives

It’s clear that businesses are seeking high-capacity connections to keep up with new technologies as well as support their employees and customers. 

Of course, businesses that are based in more rural areas may well be part of the 1 in 5 businesses without sufficient broadband speeds that need improved network accessibility to achieve better connectivity. Other means of connecting to the internet may be useful, such as mobile internet through the likes of 4G/5G routers or Satellite broadband like Starlink. 

But if 1 in 5 businesses don’t have sufficient broadband, that means that 4 in 5 do! Recent data from Think Broadband suggests that only 21% of UK premises are yet to be reached by gigabit-capable broadband. That means 79% of business premises in the UK are covered by a broadband connection that is gigabit-capable. 

By 2030, the UK government is hoping to reach their target of having nationwide coverage. Network operators are hoping for more support so that they are able to help businesses with poor connectivity sooner than that. 

Rural businesses may be able to improve their connection through AltNet options. AltNet are alternative network providers offering fibre broadband packages. Although smaller in scale, AltNets compete with the UK and England’s big brand internet service providers. AltNets offer their own full fibre connections and don’t rely on the Openreach network and can sometimes offer higher upload speeds in comparison to the major network providers.

This could mean that rural businesses in hard to reach locations could have access to better internet services sooner than the national telecoms provider can offer, giving them next generation speeds like 2.5, 3 and 10 gigabit services across certain networks before national providers have even started trials. 

Let’s also remember that even though 1 in 5 businesses are receiving insufficient broadband, that doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t have access to it via other networks. There might be other options to the one they are currently using. 

The broadband demands of differing businesses also vary hugely. A graphic design studio or video editing company would need higher speed internet than a takeaway shop that could rely on a slower link. 

As always, these types of surveys should be taken with a pinch of salt. Whilst it is undeniable that there are 1 in 5 businesses with insufficient broadband, there should be options for them to explore like mobile broadband and satellite broadband like Starlink. 

Can we help your business improve its broadband connection?

If your business is struggling with a poor internet connection, then get in touch with our expert Wi-Fi engineers who will be able to advise if mobile broadband or Starlink satellite broadband could be a viable option for you. Give us a call or drop us an email today and let’s get it sorted. 

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Why Does My Wi-Fi Randomly Stop Working?

And more importantly, how can I fix it? 

There’s little more frustrating than your Wi-Fi going down. Whether you’re working from home and mid Zoom, streaming your favourite show or gaming with friends – If your Wi-Fo goes down it’s an urgent problem to solve as soon as possible. 

Much like a power cut, when there’s no Wi-Fi we really feel it’s absence. And much like flicking the light switch on and off, we head straight for the hardware when we’re trying to figure out what the problem is. 

What to check on your hardware when your Wi-Fi stops working

  • Are the router and any other units plugged in and switched on – Are the lights on? 
  • Is every relevant cable properly connected?
  • Are any external antennas linked to the router fastened correctly?

Checking for disconnected cables that have been unplugged, disconnected or damaged could be a straightforward fix for your Wi-Fi woes.

If it’s an intermittent problem, then look for a ‘strangled’ cable. This is a cable that might be getting squashed underneath furniture or has perhaps been nibbled by a pet. 

If you’ve checked all the cabling and hardware and things look okay – What’s next?

How to check if it’s a Wi-Fi problem when your internet connection goes down

If everything is powered-on hardware wise, then the next thing to check is your Wi-Fi and whether the signal is being broadcasted. Find a device and try to connect to your Wi-Fi. 

  • Is your network being broadcast – Is it in the list of possible networks to connect to?
  • Can you connect to your network on the device?

What to do if your network is not being broadcasted or you cannot connect to the network

If one or neither of these things is happening, then the problem could be with your wireless source. You could try resetting the power on your equipment ie. turn your router off for 30 seconds and then turn back on again. 

You may even need to replace your router. If yours is leased from your Internet Service Provider (ISP) then get in touch with them to see if they can either help reset it remotely or get you a replacement. 

What to do if your network is being broadcasted and it says you’re connected, but you still have no internet connection

If you can see that your network is being broadcasted and you are able to connect to it, then check the signal strength in various locations (ie. where you need a connection).

What should my Wi-Fi signal strength be? 

In an ideal world, your Wi-Fi signal would be above -68 dBm.

For general internet access (not voice or video calls) then you could probably manage at -72 dBm. 

Anything below that level would probably cause problems, and you would likely need to be considering alternatives to solve your signal coverage issues. 

These alternatives could invoice:

  • Additional access points
  • Extender / mesh extender

Be cautious with signal extenders – These should only really be used as a last resort. This is because in order to keep the wireless link between the extender and main router, they use up considerable bandwidth. 

You could instead try a tri-radio router and implement multi-radio extenders or mesh nodes. This could enable you to use one channel for your network and another for end device access.  

How to measure your Wi-Fi signal

To measure your Wi-Fi signal and check if you have enough coverage, there are a couple of ways to do this. 

Measuring Wi-Fi signal on a laptop

If you have a laptop, you can check the stats of your wireless interface, or install a wireless measuring tool, like WinFi Lite. 

Measuring Wi-Fi on a smartphone

If you have an android smartphone, you can install a wireless signal measuring app, like “WiFiman”, or if you have an Apple device, you can install the “Airport” app and use it to scan the signal strength.

Measuring Wi-Fi signal strength

Using the tools above, you will be able to not only measure your own network but also neighbouring networks and how they are affecting yours.  

It’s nigh on impossible to be unaffected by an external 2.4 GHz network. If you can, try to use the 5 GHz spectrum. This network has more channels for you to use and thus a lot fewer interfering networks, even in residential areas. 

Bear in mind that in locations like apartment complexes, even the 5 GHz spectrum can become congested but is still generally the better option. 

An even better option would be the 6 GHz channel, but it’s likely that your devices will no longer support it in the not so distant future. 

If your Wi-Fi coverage seems fine, it could be your network usage causing internet problems

If your hardware looks okay, your network is broadcasting and you can connect, and your coverage looks good, then it’s time to consider your network usage. 

At the time you were experiencing internet problems, consider

  • How many people were connected to your network
  • What they were using the internet for 

It’s quite likely that your router wasn’t built for the demands of multiple video conferencing calls on your work laptop, a show streaming on Netflix, plus online games being played on the iPad. 

That’s a considerable amount of traffic for it to process and could cause things to get a bit unpredictable connection wise. 

If this is a common usage demand, then it may be time to speak to you ISP and see if you can upgrade your router and package. Think about whether it would be worth upgrading to hardware that supports Wi-Fi 6.

You could also consider installing additional access points to help ease the burden on the main router. 

Another potential solution is to skip the Wi-Fi element altogether, and plug your device into the router via an Ethernet cable. Hint: THis is also a great way of testing whether the issue lies with the internet connection itself or how the Wi-Fi signal is being transmitted. 

‘I’ve tried everything and my internet still won’t work!’

Okay, we get it, by this point you would be really frustrated. You’ve checked the hardware, you’re connected and coverage is fine, network usage is low – Yet there are still network problems! What else could be causing your internet connection to be unreliable and unpredictable? 

It could be wireless interference issues. 

Many routers we use in our homes support only 2.4 GHz communications. The problem with using that range is that many other manufacturers use those channels for other pieces of equipment because it’s cheap and long ranging. 

Things that could be interfering with your Wi-Fi signal are:

  • Baby monitors
  • Wireless video security cameras / doorbells
  • Microwaves
  • Motion detectors as part of an alarm system

These are just a few common examples, there are many others that use the 2.4 GHz band and could cause interference problems. To get a full picture of what’s going on, you could need a spectrum analyser.

There are of course other possible forms of interference as well. Where is your wireless router located? You should avoid:

  • Shutting it in a cupboard
  • Placing behind a large bit of furniture
  • Too much metal close by (cabinets, fridges, etc)
  • Mirrored windows 
  • Painting walls with magnetic or metallic paint

We have a whole article on how to avoid interference – You can check it out here. 

Could it be your naughty neighbour? 

As we must consider all possible options – Could it be that your neighbour is doing naughty things to your internet connection? 

Unfortunately, it is a possibility that your neighbour is deauthenticating your network. This means they are using external wireless equipment to pose as your network and then start sending deauthentication packets to your users. In other words, telling devices that are connected to your network to get off every time they leave and try to reconnect.

It’s very hard to catch this happening unless you have the proper knowledge and tools. Fortunately, some access points can detect these attacks and report them like cloud-based solution access points.

Is there anything else that could be causing my Wi-Fi problems?

So far we’ve checked:

  • For hardware problems
  • Whether your network is being broadcasted
  • Whether your Wi-Fi is transmitting a signal
  • How strong your Wi-Fi signal is / coverage
  • Network usage
  • Wireless interference
  • Naughty neighbours

That’s a pretty comprehensive list. If none of these are causing your internet problems, then it could be the integrity of your internet connection. 

How do you check the integrity of your internet connection?

Use one of your devices to check to see if you are getting an IP address. This is something you could try first, but if you checked the connection using an Ethernet cable (for example, a desktop computer that’s connected directly to the main internet connection (router) via cable) and everything was fine then your main internet connection is unlikely to be the issue. 

Things to check:

  • Do you have an IP address?
  • Can you ping your gateway?
  • Do you have DNS?

If you don’t have an IP address:

Have a check of your network stats and verify if you have a proper IP address. If you don’t, then try to register again to your home network. To do this you can simply just restart your router. 

If that doesn’t work, then try resetting your DHCP server. Most of the time, it’s to do with the home router. If you’re not using a router, then whatever you are using – restart that. 

If restarting it doesn’t work then check your DHCP configuration or give your ISP a call. 

If you do have an IP address:

If you can see that you do have a proper IP address, try to ping a public site like google.com. If that fails, try to ping a well-known public IP address like 8.8.8.8. 

If that works, then there may be an issue with the DNS that you have configured so you could try using public DNS servers, like 8.8.4.4 or 8.8.8.8. 

If a ping to a public IP address fails, then that indicates that the problem is either in the path between your home router and the ISP or something in the ISP itself.

It’s not you, it’s them

Sometimes it’s not anything to do with any of the potential problems we’ve discussed above. Sometimes it’s a problem with your Internet Service Provider and there is simply an outage on the service that you are trying to access.  

This can be for a few different reasons. 

Perhaps you have been disconnected because your street or building has a problem in the distribution panel. A cable could have been cut or damaged somewhere in the network during construction or roadworks or something similar. 


It could also be a problem with the ISP infrastructure. If they are experiencing issues in their client management system, then this would stop you accessing the service. 

If you’ve tried all of the above and nothing has helped, then it’s probably time to give your ISP a call and see if the problem is their end of things. 

Good luck! 

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Average UK Broadband ISP Speeds Hit 69.4Mbps, Ofcom 2023 Study Finds

This month, Ofcom published their last report into ISP performance in terms of UK fixed line broadband. This report revealed that the average download speed has risen from 59.4Mbps (last year) to 69.4Mbps now. Upload speeds also increased from last year’s 10.7Mbps to 18.4Mbps now. 

However, there is unfortunately still a gap between broadband speeds in urban and rural areas. 

Ofcom 2023 Study on UK Broadband ISP Speeds

Study data was collected during March of this year using custom routers and ISP supplied routers installed inside customer’s homes. It’s a highly accurate method of data collection, and gathers information at router level during idle periods of usage. For these reasons, it stops the influence of slow Wi-Fi and local network congestion. 

It’s worth noting that this research focused on the larger ISP’s, restricted by the small sample size. Also, don’t forget that speed test results don’t automatically equal network availability! 

For example, currently:

  • Fixed line ‘superfast broadband’ (30Mbps +) are available to almost 98% of the UK
  • ‘Gigabit capable’ networks (1000 Mbps +) cover over 76% (using both full fibre FTTP and Hybrid Fibre Coax lines) or 56% with just FTTP.

Let’s not forget about ADSL

ADSL is still used by up to 3 million lines. Although this is mostly in areas where there are few other alternatives, FTTC still remains very popular (15.6 million active lines) in locations where there are gigabit-capable connections available. 

In reports like this one from Ofcom, speed testing figures can be dragged down by customers still using slower copper-based ADSL2+ and FTTC lines (up to 20-24 Mbps and 40-80 Mbps respectively). 

Whilst the take up of faster connections is increasing, there are some customers who will be reluctant to to upgrading. This could be due to:

  • Cost of upgrades to a faster connection (faster services are quite often more expensive)
  • Not knowing that there are alternatives available
  • Fees for exiting a contract
  • A fear of switching

What are the UK Median Download and Upload Speeds?

In 2023, the average download speed was 69.4Mbps and upload speed was 18.4Mbps.

The report from Ofcom shared data on real-world average speeds for different types of connection:

  • ADSL2+ – Average download speeds during peak times as well as across 24 hours ranged from 11.2 to 1.7 Mbps. 
  • FTTP – Average download speeds during peak times as well as across 24 hours ranged from 34.7 to 66.8 Mbps. 
  • Cable – Average download speeds during peak times as well as across 24 hours ranged from 134.5 to 1,137.1 Mbps. 
  • Full Fibre – Average download speeds during peak times as well as across 24 hours ranged from 74.8 to 919.8 Mbps. 

Remember that performance can be affected by a number of things. Connections that use copper wire (FTTC, G.fast, ADSL) suffer with signal loss over distance. Results can also be affected by things like:

  • Network congestion
  • Traffic management
  • Service Faults
  • Poor home wiring

FTTP May Not Actually Be Slower Than Cable

Although the figures from Ofcom’s report seem to suggest otherwise, Cable might not actually be faster than FTTP. 

Firstly, the ‘fixed superfast product take up’ reflects the percentage of UK customers that have chosen a package with download speeds of 30 Mbps or more. 

Gigabit ‘cable’ download speeds may look like they are higher than FTTP, but that could be down to the provider (Virgin) setting its profile speeds as faster than their advertised rates. 

Therefore, FTTP is not necessarily a slower technology than cable. 

Rural Connections Still Falling Short

Unfortunately some rural areas and even digitally disadvantaged urban areas are yet to be reached by ‘superfast’ connections. 

Sadly it is harder to make an economic case for the investment in remote rural areas, meaning that the commercial roll-out of gigabit-capable networks has been rapid in urban areas and at a much faster pace than rural areas. 

There is still a big gap between performance in urban and rural areas. This could be reflective of the influx of commercial FTTP builds within cities and towns. 

In Ofcom’s report, the data on this was limited as it only looks at the two most common rural broadband technologies. These are FTTC and ADSL. Unfortunately, copper ADSL lines in rural areas tend to be much longer than ones in urban areas, making them less reliable and more prone to signal attenuation. 

When looking at the peak times of between 8pm and 10pm, the report from Ofcom presented a difference of 26% between the average download speed in urban and rural areas (70.3 and 56 Mbps respectively). It’s worth noting that the average download speed has increased from last year for both rural and urban areas. In March 2022, there was a 585 difference between speeds, so perhaps the gap is slowly closing. 

Could the Universal Service Obligation Help Rural Wi-Fi?

The Universal Service Obligation (USO) sets a minimum download speed of at least 10 Mbps. Anyone who is not getting this could consider using the USO to improve their connection. This doesn’t happen automatically unfortunately – It needs to be requested. 

Interestingly, provider BT/EE are using 4G devices to help tackle anyone not achieving speeds in line with the USO. Whilst it can be transformative for some connections, it doesn’t work for everyone so an alternative may be needed. 

One possible option would be FTTP, however this is often too expensive to deploy under the USO and still won’t solve the issue in that last 1% of premises. 

How Will Project Gigabit Help Rural Areas?

Project Gigabit is a £5 billion project from the government, ensuring that ‘gigabit-capable’ broadband services (1 Gbps +) reach at least 85% of UK premises by the end of 2025. The aim is to have nationwide (99%) coverage by 2030. 

Much of this funding is being used on that final 20% of premises in hard to reach rural and semi-rural areas. Great news, but it will take time to deliver and see the benefits. 

How Can You Resolve Broadband Speed Problems?

Unfortunately, sometimes broadband speeds do fall below the initial estimates for your line. But did you know that Ofcom’s Voluntary Code of Practice for Broadband Speeds can help you to resolve any problems with internet speeds that arise and are not in line with the estimates a member ISP provides on connection performance during the order process. 

Which ISP’s are Ofcom members of the Voluntary Code of Practice for Broadband Speeds? 

  • BT
  • EE
  • Plusnet
  • NOW TV / NOW Broadband
  • Talk Talk
  • Utility Warehouse
  • Sky Broadband
  • Zen Internet

When you are in the ‘sign up’ stage, you can use the code to obtain more information on connection speeds. If these then fall below what was guaranteed and expected, it can help you to exit that contract if things don’t improve. ISP’s are allowed one month to resolve the issues, and if at that stage there is still a problem then the customer can walk away from the contract with no penalties. This ‘right to exit’ can also apply to phone and TV bundles that were purchased along with the broadband.  

You’ll have noticed that only the larger ISP’s are members (apart from Vodafone which is noticeably absent!). Many of the smaller ISP’s don’t sign up due to the costs involved with adapting to Ofcom’s code being too high. 

If you want to read more and see the data in full, you can find the full Ofcom Report for 2023 here. 

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Researchers See Through Walls With Wi-Fi 

New technology recently engineered by scientists at UC Santa Barbara using Wi-Fi signals has enabled people to see objects and read letters through walls.

Your initial reaction to this is probably one of two things:

  1. Wow – Amazing! What a breakthrough
  2. Well this seems like a potential privacy issue further down the line

How have Wi-Fi systems been used to see through walls?

Researchers from UC Santa Barbara developed this system where the edges of solid objects on one side of a solid barrier ie. a wall, can be traced from the other side using WI-Fi signals. This includes letters of the alphabet. 

Imaging the letters individually, in one experiment this technology was used to work out the word ‘believe’ from the other side of a wall, deciphering the letters one by one. 

They did this using 3 standard Wi-Fi transmitters. Over a particular area, these Wi-Fi transmitters sent wireless waves. The imaging was based on measuring the signal power received by a Wi-Fi receiver grid via receivers mounted on a movable vehicle. 

3 transmitters you say – Would that not be triangulation? One of the researchers on this project states that triangulation is not being used. Instead, each transmitter is merely providing a different viewpoint, illuminating the area from different angles. This approach helps to reduce the chance that one of the edges they are detecting will not fall into a ‘blind region.’ To leave a signature on the receiver grid, they need to be ‘seen’. 

The key to the success of this tech system using Wi-Fi signals to see through walls is their edge-based approach. Triangulation in this instance would not perform well. 

How can objects be tracked using Wi-Fi signals?

This tech system is based on the principle of Keller’s Geometric Theory of Diffraction (aka The Keller Cone). 

Keller introduced his Geometrical Theory of Diffraction (GTD) in the 1950s. The development of this theory was revolutionary, as it explained the phenomena of wave diffraction entirely in terms of rays for the first time, via a systematic generalisation of Fermat’s principle. In simple terms, it explains the process of a wave bending around an object (or obstacle) and how it spreads out across a particular space. 

Using the principle of this theory, the system can interpret what could be on the other side of a wall. 

Why is seeing through walls with Wi-Fi something new?

Scientists have actually been attempting to do this for a while, years in fact. This particular team at UC Santa Barbara have been working on this since 2009. This latest engineering breakthrough is significant because it was previously thought that anything as complex as reading the English alphabet through walls using Wi-Fi signals would be too difficult due to the complexity of the lettering. 

Indeed, using Wi-Fi for imaging something still (like letters) has been a challenge due to the lack of motion. However, they seem to have overcome this issue by tracing the edges of the objects.

Back in July, we saw a similar tech engineered by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University where they tracked a 3D shape as well as human bodies moving in a room using Wi-Fi signals. 

Seeing Through Walls With Wi-Fi – What will it be used for?

Assuming that this tech system matures and is put to wider use, we might find it useful for a few different applications: 

  • Crowd analytics
  • Identifying individuals
  • Boosting smart spaces 

Is the resolution high enough? 

Resolution on imagery can be improved by increasing the signals to higher frequencies. However, this would also increase the propagation loss so there would be a trade-off on energy.

This is likely where future experimentation will lie, as researchers and scientists look to explore this energy trade-off as frequencies and propagation loss increase.  

Is it just edges of objects that can be detected? If this tech system of looking through walls with Wi-Fi signals is going to be widely adopted then depth sensing would also be useful. This can be achieved by using a wideband signal for transmission. 

The experiment spoken about in this article was designed to showcase the performance of everyday radio signals, using 802.11n Wi-Fi which is narrowband. However, the framework could easily be expanded to utilise wideband signals too. 

What challenges could ‘seeing through walls’ with Wi-Fi face?

As we stated at the start of this article, some potential issues that could arise from using Wi-Fi signals to see through walls relate to privacy and security. 

Thus, this could have an effect on how successful this new tech system could be. 

Could cyber criminals use this technology in part of an attack? Could law enforcement officials abuse this technology in some contexts?

We wrote on this topic of Wi-Fi seeing through walls back in January, about a similar piece of research that used ‘dense pose’ from Wi-Fi, using Wi-Fi signals as a human sensor and a way to map the position of human bodies using AI. You can read it here.

What are your thoughts on this – We’d love to know! Which camp do you sit in – Amazing Breakthrough or Privacy Nightmare? Get in touch on Facebook, X or Instagram. 

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52% of UK Covered by Full Fibre Broadband, Ofcom Summer Study Reveals

With what is likely to be the last of the hot weather for this year, Ofcom have shared the results of their summer 2023 study looking at UK fixed broadband and mobile coverage.

The study reports that Full Fibre FTTP access in the UK has risen by 4% from January 2023 to 52% coverage. 

It has also found that 75% are now within reach of a gigabit-capable network, which is an increase of 2%. 

In addition to this, 76-85% of premises can now get an outdoor 5G connection from at least one operator (an increase from 73-82%). 

Ofcom Summer 2023 Report

This latest report from the communications regulator features data collected between May 2022 and May 2023, including that of their Spring Connected Nation’s update back in January 2023. 

This most recent report is based upon the coverage and service availability information from both fixed line UK Internet Service Providers and Mobile Network Operators. 

Overall, the UK’s coverage of fixed “superfast broadband” (30Mbps+) remains unchanged at 97%, while 15.4 million homes (52%) can now order a Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) service via various networks (up from 48%).

Key Figures from Ofcom Summer 2023 Report

Gigabit

75% of the UK (that’s 22.4 million homes) can now access Gigabit-capable (1Gbps+) services (up from 73% or 21.9m). 

This figure is higher than that for FTTP due to the majority of the gigabit connectivity coming from Virgin Media’s upgrade to their existing HFC network. In dense urban areas, there is a lot of overbuild between HFC and FTTP. 

What about the last 20% in the hardest to reach areas? The UK Government’s £5 billion Project Gigabit programme aims to improve the above figure so that gigabit coverage is extended to at least 85% of UK premises by the end of 2025 (and 99% nationwide by 2030). 

Premises Still Without ‘Decent’ Broadband 

‘Decent’ broadband is based on a download speed of at least 10Mbps and 1Mbps upload. The number of premises that cannot access this is currently 428,000 which is 1.3% of the UK. 

However, if you include wireless connections via 4G, 5G and Fixed Wireless Access, this number drops down to 62,000. 

4G Mobile Networks

Geographic coverage of 4G wireless services across mobile network operators (EE, Three, O2, Vodafone) has remained about the same, with a range of 80 to 87%. 

Although it’s a slow process, these figures will be improved upon by the Shared Rural Network agreement – A £1 billion project to change things for rural users. 

5G Coverage

There’s still a way to go when it comes to 5G coverage in the UK. The Ofcom Summer 2023 report shares that 76-85% of UK premises can now get outdoor coverage from at least one operator, however when looking at outdoor coverage by all operators put together it drops to 12-22%. 

Voice and Text Coverage

Full Ofcom Summer 2023 Report

We’ve included a few summaries for your perusal but for more detailed information with all the facts and figures you could ask for, download the PDF of the Summer 2023 Update on Connected Nations via the Ofcom website here. 

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Have 5G Download Speeds Fallen in Your Region?

Global leader in network intelligence and connectivity insights, Ookla have revealed via their Speedtest.net platform that 5G based mobile broadband download speeds have fallen over the past year in most UK regions. 

However, despite this fall in 5G download speeds, the overall data speeds for both 4G and 5G have increased. 

Speedtest.net from Ookla is a popular testing service for broadband and mobile network performance. This latest research is based on data collected between the second quarter of 2022 and 2023. 

It found that overall, users have seen a mild increase in their download speed in 10 out of 12 UK regions, across all types of mobile broadband combined.

The highest increase was by 23.4% in the North East, with the lowest increase being in the Yorkshire and Humberside region at 3.9%. (There were a couple of exceptions where the changes were too small to be of note in the South West and Northern Ireland). 

5G Download Speeds Show Statistically Significant Decline

When the study looked at just the data for 5G download speeds, it became apparent that 9 out of 12 UK regions had users with a statistically significant decline. 

3 of these regions experienced a decline of more than 20% in 5G download speeds with another region closely behind:

  • Northern Ireland – 21.65%
  • East Midlands – 21%
  • South East – 20.7%
  • Yorkshire and Humber – 17.8%
Ookla-5G-Speeds-by-UK-Region-Q2-2022-to-2023
With thanks to Open Signal for the graphics

What Can Cause a Decline in 5G Download Speeds?

Typically, we might see a decline like this due to a combination of network maturity and rising customer take-up. Over time, this can cause network congestion, putting pressure on capacity. 

Thankfully, we can combat these issues with technological advances. For example, Ofcom’s future plans are to release more 5G spectrum. We can also benefit from the evolution of 5G technology, such as Standalone 5G. Future improvements like this will help with issues causing declining 5G download speeds. 

How Much Time Do People Spend With an Active 4G/5G Connection?

Ookla research has also found that the proportion of time users spent with an active 4G/5G connection has increased. With the improvements we’ve seen recently with coverage, coupled with the gradual shutdown of 3G (with 2G to follow).

The biggest increase of time spent actively connected to 4G/5G was in Wales (a rise of 4.5%). The smallest increase was 2.4% which was in Yorkshire and Humber. 

Time Spent With Active 5G Connection Also on the Rise

Unsurprisingly, the time users spend with an active 5G connection is also increasing with 5G availability on the rise. 

London – 4% increase (The largest increase of 5G availability)

East Midlands – 3.2%

Eastern – 3%

Wales – 2%

As we already mentioned, this increase in the availability of 5G could explain the decline in 5G download speeds. This is because there are more users than before all trying to use the same data and spectrum capacity. 

However, some regions didn’t see a statistically significant change:

  • Scotland
  • Northern Ireland
  • North East
  • South West
  • West Midlands
Ookla-5G-Availability-by-UK-Region-Q2-2022-to-2023

Which networks were people connected to 4G/5G most?

The data can be further analysed for each network. 

EE – 97.2% (an increase of 2.7% over the last year)

Three – 94% (a larger increase from 85.2% which was the largest of all operators)

Vodafone – 93.2% (an increase of 5%)

O2 – 90.1% (increased from 86.8%)

Which network are you on? Have you noticed any changes with 4G or 5G download speeds in your region? 

by admin
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5G Beamforming Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi 7
What is Beamforming and Will it Make Wireless Better?

The tech world is always evolving and looking on to the next thing – To be better, quicker, stronger. Wireless and Wi-Fi technology is no different – We want to be able to access the best possible connection – Strong, reliable and fast. 

So how does beamforming help with this? 

What is Beamforming? 

Beamforming makes Wi-Fi and 5G connections more precise by utilising the science of electromagnetic interference. 

The original concept of beamforming has actually been around since the 1940’s. In current communication standards, this tech is playing a pivotal role in improving Wi-Fi and 5G among others. 

When beamforming is used alongside MU-MIMO (Multi User Multiple Input, Multiple Output) tech, it can help users to boost their data speeds by accessing more precise connections. 

How Does Beamforming Work?

Using Beamforming means that the resulting connection is faster and more reliable. It works by focusing a wireless signal to a specific receiving device. In this instance, the signal is more focused rather than being spread in all directions like, for example, a broadcast antenna. 

Unless they are blocked by a physical object, electromagnetic waves from a single antenna will radiate in all directions. To specifically target a beam of electromagnetic energy in order to focus the signal in a certain direction, you can use multiple antennas close together to broadcast the same signal at slightly different times. 

These overlapping waves will cause interference which can be good (cause the signal to be stronger) or bad (cause th signal to become weak or undetectable). 

When done constructively and correctly, the electromagnetic waves can be focused to a specific direction – Beamforming. 

We’re going to spare you the mathematics behind the process of beamforming – It’s extremely complex. If you’re a big maths geek you can look it up online and try and wrap your head around it. 

We mentioned earlier that the actual technqiue of beamforming isn’t a new concept and has been around for over 80 years. Wi-Fi and 5G aren’t the only technologies that can benefit from beamforming – Any type of energy that travels in waves can use the concept, including sound. 

Beamforming was originally developed to help in World War II by improving sonar and is still an important part of audio engineering today. 

But let’s get back to our niche – Wi-Fi and 5G tech is where our interest in beamforming lies. 

How does beamforming help Wi-Fi 6?

Wi-Fi 6 is the latest generation of Wi-Fi (also known as 802.1ax but thankfully now with improved naming via the Wi-Fi Alliance!). It succeeds the 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard (now more aptly named Wi-Fi 5). 

In terms of Wi-Fi standards, beamforming has actually been around since Wi-Fi 4 but seen improvements in both Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6. Beamforming uses MIMO technology to be able to send out multiple, overlapping signals. 

Since 2016, the use of beamforming with Wi-Fi 5 meant that different receivers can work with different routers, hence making the beamforming techniques used in Wi-Fi equipment are vendor-neutral. 

Beamforming can also be used alongside MU-MIMO technology, allowing multiple users to communicate simultaneously with multiple antennas on the router. Beamforming used in this way ensures that each of the connected clients are efficiently targeted by the router. Data rates and range for signals to specific clients are also improved with Wi-Fi 6 through the increased number of antennas (from 4 to 8). 

What about Wi-Fi 7? 

In the world of tech we’re always looking ahead to the next thing – So what about beamforming and WI-Fi 7? Unsurprisingly, beamforming will also be a core part of Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be).  

Coordinated beamforming will use the capability of modern multi-antenna access points to spatially multiplex their stations, as well as making adjacent neighbouring non-associated stations void.

This technique can actually be used without beamforming via a joint multi-access point sounding scheme. However, a coordinated beamforming process can take advantage of a simpler sequential sounding procedure which will be a part of Wi-Fi 7. 

As each station transmits and receives data to and from a single access point, coordinated beamforming does not require joint data processing. This helps diminish backhaul needs. 

Whilst this limits complexity, it also delivers substantial throughput and latency enhancements.

Other improvements that we’ll see with Wi-Fi 7 and coordinated beamforming will hopefully include access to gigabit speeds and low-latency communications for more busineses and consumers in various applications. 

How does beamforming help 5G? 

With the prevalance of 5G increasing with the roll out of networks for smartphones and other WANs, we’ll be seeing beamforming as a core part of the new technology. 

5G frequencies are unfortunately more prone to being disrupted by objects causing interference, like walls or other similar barriers for example. This is because 5G operates on the millimetre wavelength (mmWave) frequency. 

Beamforming helps with this by creating a more reliable connection. It does by allowing the transmitter to focus the transmission in a specific direction, as explained above. This means the signal is directed towards, for example, a mobile device, vehicle or other IoT device. 

Working with MIMO, beamforming can improve throughput and efficiency by directing beams from a 5G base station in both horizonal and vertical directions  via large numbers of antennas. 

What are the pros of beamforming?

Wi-Fi and 5G tech can really benefit from beamforming. 

  • Information can be transferred quicker and with fewer errors because the signal is of a higher quality due to being focused in a specific direction
  • Users trying to connect to other signals can benefit from less interference because beamforming can reduce and even stop broadcasting in other directions

Are there any cons when it comes to beamforming? 

Whilst beamforming can have benefits for wireless technology, some limitations can lie in the actual process of doing it. 

  • Beamforming requires big computing resources. In some situations, the beamforming calculations would require time and power resources that could make the resulting benefits less worth it
  • Improving affordability means that beamforming techniques are being built into wireless equipment on the consumer market as well as enterprise-grade wireless hardware
  • For the best performance, the transmitter and receiver need to be quite close together. The further away the receiver is from the transmitter, the more the benefits diminish

It’s pretty clear to see that beamforming is a big part of the wireless world, especially in terms of Wi-Fi 6 (and 7) as well as 5G.

by admin
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Broadband Home WI-Fi Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Issues Wi-Fi Problems Wireless Network
Is an Everyday Household Item Slowing Down Your Wi-Fi?

Whether you rely on your Wi-Fi to work, stream Netflix or game, one thing we can all agree on is that there is nothing more frustrating than slow, buffering Wi-Fi or internet blackouts. Frozen zoom calls, ‘Something’s gone wrong’ error messages in the middle of binge-watching your favourite series or letting the team down mid-battle could have you tearing your hair out in frustration.

These days, having a strong, reliable, fast broadband connection is vital. And often, we don’t realise quite how much we need something until it’s not working effectively or completely gone. 

But what if one of your everyday household items was the cause of your Wi-Fi woes? Here are some commonplace things that you likely have around your house that could be causing your internet issues – And things you can do to help overcome them. 

Can concrete cause Wi-Fi problems? 

Obviously, there’s nothing much you can do about the actual structure of your home, but if it’s full of thick concrete walls then you may experience problems getting Wi-Fi throughout your property. It’s a tough material that’s difficult to penetrate, meaning your network coverage could struggle. 

This could result in a lag in signal or some rooms being in a deadspot. 

We’re not suggesting taking a sledgehammer to your walls – But you can carefully consider where you are placing your router for optimum coverage. You could also look at whether extenders could help your signal reach parts of the house that the signal can’t get to. 

Can metal interfere with my Wi-Fi?

Metal is another dense material that can negatively affect your Wi-Fi speed. Using metal structurally could inhibit the strength of the signal you are transmitting. Likewise, too many metal household items (like blinds) or decorative items (e.g. wall art) could cause issues with signal reaching your devices. 

As above, thinking carefully about where you place your router can imrpove things, and extenders can be used to access those hard to reach places. 

Can plaster and drywall affect my Wi-Fi? 

Most if not all houses will have elements of plaster and drywall. Thankfully, it doesn’t interfere with signal as much as concrete does so there should be less signal lost. 

Could the ceramic tiles in my house cause internet issues?

Ceramic tiles are a popular choice in our kitchens and bathrooms. Unfortunately, this material can disrupt Wi-Fi signals in your home. Ceramic tiles also tend to be coupled with other disruptive material like plaster and drywall mentioned above, which can cause even more interference to your Wi-Fi.  

Placing your router somewhere central in an elevated position can help to combat some of this Wi-Fi interference. 

Are my Low-E windows causing Wi-Fi problems?

Every house has windows – But a certain type can cause problems with your Wi-Fi. Those conscious of their energy consumption and trying to reduce how much energy is lost by installing Low-E (low emissivity) windows could unfortunately result in problems with their Wi-Fi instead. 

Low-E windows have a metallic film on them to help reduce energy consumption, which also means they can absorb or interfere with Wi-Fi signals. So they could be great for your energy bills but not so great for your internet connection. 

Do mirrors interfere with Wi-Fi signal? 

Mirrors have a thin coating of metal behind the glass which together can cause enough electromagnetic interference to disrupt your Wi-Fi signal. Especially if your house is adorned with lots of mirrors! 

The level of disruption depends on how big the mirrors are and how many you have. 

Is water the reason my Wi-Fi is slow?

Water can hinder the passage of Wi-Fi signal, so things like fish tanks and even people can make your connection weaker by the time it reaches your device. 

This can have a big impact on how well your devices connect to your Wi-Fi and thus how effective they work. 

Can my furniture cause internet problems? 

Do you have pieces of large furniture in your home? A house full of big, thick furniture could struggle with less stable internet. 

Experiencing signal disruption is more likely if you place your router too close to any large items of furniture – Try to choose a an area that is unobstructed and in as open a space as possible.

Could my household appliances be disrupting my Wi-Fi?

Houses are full of white goods, and unfortunately these can cause a weak Wi-Fi connection. Appliances like microwaves and dishwashers emit their own radio waves, so it’s a good idea to place your router well away from them. 

You might even be able to salvage a weak Wi-Fi connection by moving your router away from appliances like this. 

Got Wi-Fi Issues In Your Home?

If you are facing some Wi-Fi troubles in your home, then try these top tips to try and mitigate any interference from household items. 

  • Don’t tuck your router away in a cupboard, out of sight or surrounded by furniture. 
  • Find a central location for your router so that it stands the best chance of reaching every corner of your home
  • Deploy your router in an elevated position to help transmit that signal 
  • Avoid installing your router close to bulky furniture
  • Thick concrete walls are not your router’s friend – Try not to place your router near them 
  • Water (think fish tanks, water tanks, even people) absorb the signal and can interfere with how effectively your device can connect so deploy your router away from these things
  • Kitchens are full of white goods (microwaves, dishwashers etc) which emit their own electromagnetic waves, so don’t put your router in this room if you want it to work at it’s optimum  
  • Try to avoid placing your router near large mirrors or windows. If you are considering Low-E windows, think carefully about whether this could affect how effective your Wi-Fi is
by admin
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4G 5G Business Wi-Fi Connectivity SME Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Advice Wireless Network
Is Poor Connectivity Costing Your SME Money?

Research commissioned by Three found that issues with poor connectivity were costing SME’s in Britain £18.77 billion per year. 

Research found that small to medium sized businesses (including micro businesses) in the UK who give employees work phones are losing out on over 1 hour of work time per employee, per week. Poor connectivity leads to employees being unable to get online or complete their work effectively.

1 hour per week per employee may not sound like a big deal on the face of it, but for medium sized businesses, this equates to 250 hours of working time being lost every single week. 

This loss of working time has a bigger impact on things than you may think. In partnership with YouGov and Development Economics, Three’s research found that:

  • The British economy is significantly impacted by loss of business revenue. The amount of economic output lost is estimated to be £7.7bn per year. 
  • The cost of poor connectivity hits the professional and retail sectors the harders
  • Businesses are already facing challenging times – almost 75% of SME’s are reducing costs

Which industries are hit hardest by poor connectivity?

Two of the largest sectors in the British economy were hit the hardest with poor connectivity – Retail, and Professional Services (including legal, accounting and media businesses).

How much revenue is lost in these sectors due to poor connectivity?

  • Professional Services – Loss of £5.3 billion per year (annual output loss of £2.8bn to the economy)
  • Retail – Loss of £3.7 billion per year (annual output loss of £560m to the economy)

Connectivity isn’t the only challenge for SME’s

SME’s aren’t just facing a challenge with poor connectivity – They’re also facing challenges with the cost of living crisis and talent shortages. 

SME’s are also feeling the heat of rising costs, with 71% looking at where they need to reduce spending. 32% of SME’s are looking to cut costs on things like phone contracts, which they believe they are spending too much on. 

29% of SME’s (and 48% of medium sized businesses) also worry about losing employees due to not having good technology, which is cause for concern when there is also a shortage of talent in the majority of industries.  

Combine all of this with poor connectivity causing problems with work effectiveness and you can see why it’s causing a bit of a headache for small and medium sized businesses. 

Do SME’s need more tech support? 

In order to operate, grow and thrive in business, it is absolutely vital for SME’s to have a strong online connection. 

36% of SME’s believe that better mobile phone connectivity would enable them to perform better. 1 in 5 SME’s are also concerned that their business could get left behind if they don’t know how to use the latest mobile phone technology. 

Unfortunately, almost 50% of SME’s feel that the tech industry uses complex language that makes it difficult to understand the latest technology, creating a barrier for these businesses without proper support and knowledge. 

What can be done to provide SME’s with tech and connectivity support? 

It seems that many tech schemes and concepts are aimed at larger corporate structures, failing to meet the needs of SME’s in a more cost effective way. It’s so important for tech providers to recognise the needs of SME’s and tailor their services to meet them. SME’s need simple, straightforward tech offerings with a level of service that large corporates would expect. 

For a business to be able to perform and for their employees to effectively do their jobs, it all comes down to connectivity. 

For most businesses, connectivity is the core of it all – Poor connectivity is simply not an option. It’s imperative for SME’s to carefully consider the options available to them when it comes to connectivity, tech and mobile. They need a simple, cost effective option that leaves them in control. 

The research outlined above just goes to show how poor connectivity can really hold a business back. Research from The Federation of Small Businesses found similar results which showed that 45% of small businesses experience unreliable voice connectivity (going up to 57% in rural areas). 

SME’s are a big part of the UK economy. To see growth and productivity, we need strong and reliable digital, mobile and vocal connectivity. That includes 4G and 5G accessibility for all. 

Can Geekabit Help?

If you are a SME and are struggling with poor connectivity, then call in the experts. Our experienced Wi-Fi engineers can help at any stage of network deployment – From site surveys to design to installation. 

We’re only a phone call away, and can help get your business properly connected. 

Thinking you’re too rural? We’ve got 4G for that! Our mobile and satellite broadband options could be just the thing you’re looking for. 

Get in touch with our Wi-Fi experts today.

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Wi-Fi Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi Advice Wi-Fi HaLow Wi-Fi Installation Wi-Fi Site Survey
Is Wi-Fi HaLow a Better Wireless Option than Wi-Fi 5 and 6 for IoT?

Wi-Fi HaLow has quite the list of benefits when it comes to Internet of Things applications. With high bandwidth, long range, unlicensed spectrum, low power, and less complexity than Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi HaLow could well be a better option. 

What is Wi-Fi HaLow?

Image from https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/wi-fi-certified-halow with thanks

The Wi-Fi Alliance has coined the IEEE 802.11ah Wi-Fi standard as Wi-Fi HaLow, as it will be known in the wireless market. It was approved back in September 2016, and then published in the following May. 

Wi-Fi HaLow is a new version of traditional Wi-Fi, offering:

  • Long range
  • Low power
  • Low speed

Wi-Fi HaLow is most likely to be deployed within the Internet of Things market, on things such as:

  • Sensors
  • Wearables
  • M2M (Machine to Machine) applications
  • Smart buildings
  • Smart cities

What are the benefits of Wi-Fi HaLow?

Wi-Fi HaLow has the ability to connect low-bandwidth devices to IP networks, including the internet. It also supports enough bandwidth to handle HD Quality video.

Perhaps one of the great things about Wi-Fi HaLow is its usefulness in rural communications as well as offloading cell phone tower traffic. 

Whilst there are similar low-power standards, like 802.11af, there are differences. For example, 802.11af operates in the television white space spectrum in VHF and UHF bands, whereas Wi-Fi HaLow is easier to deploy due to operating in the unlicensed bands. 

There are of course similar technologies that utilise the unlicensed spectrum, but Wi-Fi HaLow also has advantages over some of them due to them being built on proprietary standards. 

The requirement of getting proprietary hardware in order to get IP connectivity to the client devices also means that some other similar technologies are more complicated to deploy than Wi-Fi HaLow.

HaLow is intended to make deploying IoT devices easier.

Why is Uptake for Wi-Fi HaLow Slow?

Despite the advantages laid out above, the uptake for Wi-Fi HaLow has been pretty slow. 

If you have a look on the Product Finder section of the Wi-Fi Alliance’s website, you’ll find only 3 companies that are listed as having certified Wi-Fi HaLow products. 

And if the uptake is so low, it begs the question…

So Why Use Wi-Fi HaLow?

The advantages we talked about above hint at where Wi-Fi HaLow can be used effectively. 

Wi-Fi HaLow Utilises Licence-Exempt Frequencies

As you are probably aware, the majority of Wi-Fi technologies, including Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6, operate at frequencies in the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. 

The difference with Wi-Fi HaLow is that it utilises licence-exempt frequencies that are below 1 GHz. 

Wi-Fi HaLow Has Longer Range

Due to Wi-Fi HaLow having lower frequencies, it also has longer signal ranges. Not only that, but the signal itself penetrates walls and other materials better. 

Due to these reasons, Wi-Fi HaLow can travel much further, even managing distances of over half a mile (0.62 miles to be precise). 

Wi-Fi HaLow Devices Don’t Hog Bandwidth and Need Less Power

Wi-Fi HaLow devices can use lower power radios as they’re not hogging bandwidth with high performance. In other words, the devices wireless connectivity uses very little power which in turn means that they have a long battery life. Some devices can even last more than 5 years! 

Got devices on the network that need more throughput? With Wi-Fi HaLow you can give hundreds (if not thousands) of IoT wireless devices their own band to operate in – Enabling you to reserve the higher bands for those higher throughput devices. This could in turn have a positive impact on your overall network performance.

In this way, Wi-Fi HaLow compliments traditional Wi-Fi very well by enabling your network engineers to move lower bandwidth clients off the main Wi-Fi network. 

Depending on the AP capabilities and client-device specifications, Wi-Fi HaLow can still provide enough throughput for HD-quality video cameras in some scenarios, despite being designed for lower bandwidth applications. 

Do We Have the Infrastructure for Wi-Fi HaLow?

In short, yes! It’s pretty straightforward to get going with Wi-Fi HaLow. 

Whereas other similar technologies require proprietary controllers, hubs or gateways, Wi-Fi HaLow doesn’t need any of this. 

It’s as simple as plugging a HaLow Ap into a traditional LAN and clients can connect to IP-based networks including the internet. 

Alternatively, they could choose a gateway device with 4G LTE connectivity to the WAN.

Does traditional Wi-Fi support HaLow?

Currently, the HaLow band is not supported by traditional Wi-Fi like 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. 

But, due to the longer range of HaLow, an AP deployed in the right location could mean signal coverage for an entire multi-floor office building or warehouse. 

Of course, that would also depend on:

  • Desired data rates for clients
  • Transmit powers
  • Antennas
  • Interference

To take the signal even further, without using a wired connection, you can also deploy Wi-Fi HaLow in a wireless-mesh mode. 

What are the Data Rates like for Wi-Fi HaLow? 

Bandwidth can be increased via channel-width options on Wi-Fi HaLow devices just like traditional Wi-Fi. Between 1MHz and 16MHz there are 5 channel widths, but not all devices support all the widths. 

When we talk about channels, the transmissions travel further the narrower the channel is, but at a slower data rate. 

For example, for a long range over the course of 1km on just 1MHz channel, with a bit of RF attenuation, you would see a data rate of approximately 150 kbps. 

With a shorter range and/ or a line of sight, you could in theory get 86.7 Mbps with 16 MHz channels and short guard intervals. 

One trial carried out at sea with no radio interference achieved 2 Mbps of UDP throughput at 3 km with line of sight. With this in mind, with ideal conditions could expect a data rate of a few Mbps for approximately 1.5 km range. 

How is Wi-Fi HaLow Affected by Interference?

Wi-Fi HaLow aren’t not the only unlicensed users and devices on the 900 MHz band. Historically, this band was rather crowded with cordless phones as well as amateur radio operators, although whilst they have the right to use the band they are not the primary users of the band and hence have to accept interference from other sources. 

Interference when using Wi-Fi HaLow is unlikely to cause significant issues in comparison to how many Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6 devices are using the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. 

The competition for airtime is also a lesser concern because unlike traditional Wi-Fi devices, HaLow devices tend to deliver smaller amounts of data and less frequently. 

Is Wi-Fi HaLow Secure?

Wi-Fi HaLow is just as secure as traditional Wi-Fi devices due to supporting the same WPA3 (Wi-Fi Protected Access) security and Wi-Fi Enhanced Open functionality. 

Some devices may also support the enterprise mode of WPA3 with 802.1X authentication. Some HaLow devices may also support the legacy WPA2 security even though it isn’t required for Wi-Fi Certified products.

Is HaLow ready for enterprise deployments?

Despite there being few Wi-Fi Halow devices on the market just yet, reports are saying that they are ready for enterprise deployments now. 

Our recommendation, as with any Wi-Fi network, is to carry out a Site Survey before designing and deploying a Wi-Fi HaLow network.

For many network engineers, this is a new and unfamiliar technology so it’s imperative you do plenty of live testing and analysing to make sure the network will work effectively. This is especially important if you are going to be using Wi-Fi HaLow to serve higher bandwidth clients or over long distances. 

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