Wi-Fi 7 — the latest wireless networking standard — improves upon its predecessor in almost every way. Although it has only been officially released for a few months, industry leaders already consider it a force multiplier for business technologies. How can firms use it to secure success in competitive markets?

What Is Wi-Fi 7?

Wi-Fi 7 is the seventh wireless connectivity standard. It is based on 802.11be — the networking standard developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). This long-awaited improvement on the previous version took five years to develop. Many business leaders believe it is a force multiplier for communication and internet-connected technologies.

The Wi-Fi Alliance — a nonprofit that owns the Wi-Fi trademark — is the entity that designated 802.11be as Wi-Fi 7 for clarity and simplicity. While versions 6 and 6E have been standard since 2019, a new version was needed to make up for various technological advancements.

Is Wi-Fi 7 available yet? As of today, it is. It became available in January 2024 when the WiFi Alliance officially released its Wi-Fi Certified 7 program. Although it may take years for businesses worldwide to upgrade, most internet-connected devices will be compatible with this new wireless networking protocol going forward.

802.11be is better than its predecessor in every way. It supports multi-user, multiple-input and multiple-output systems, which offer vastly superior performance and connectivity compared to legacy single-input, single-output systems. Also, it provides better speed, reliability, coverage and security. 

How Is Wi-Fi 7 Better Than Wi-Fi 6?

Wi-Fi 7 is better than the previous protocol in virtually every way. For starters, it can transfer data exponentially faster. Its theoretical maximum speed is over 40 Gigabits per second (Gbps), making it nearly five times quicker than its predecessor. For reference, the old standard reached up to 9.6 Gbps at its best. 

While the 6 Gigahertz (GHz) frequency band — the radiofrequency range used to transmit signals over a telecom network — was introduced in 2020 with the extended Wi-Fi 6E, its capabilities were limited. The latest standard supports it to a greater extent, increasing speed and reducing interference.

This latest networking protocol also has double the throughput — it supports 320 Megahertz (MHz) channels, significantly increasing from the 160 MHz that Wi-Fi 6 supports. Higher bandwidth means greater data transmission rates, resulting in faster data transfers and more seamless online experiences. 

Do Businesses Need Wi-Fi 7?

Businesses that have digitized, employed remote teams or deployed internet-connected technologies should strongly consider adopting IEEE’s seventh wireless connectivity standard. In interconnected enterprise ecosystems, lowering latency, reducing signal interference and increasing data transfer speeds are essential.

Digitalization is quickly becoming a must-have in many industries. As more organizations adopt internet-connected technologies — there will be 75.44 billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices by 2025, a 21.44%% increase from 2024 — having a robust, reliable network will become essential. It may even make brands more competitive. 

The Business Benefits of Utilizing Wi-Fi 7 

Several business benefits of utilizing the latest wireless networking standard exist:

Strengthened Security

Wi-Fi 6 and 6E use the security protocol Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) 3. While Wi-Fi 7 ships with WPA3, it can theoretically support WPA4. When the Wi-Fi Alliance ratifies this new protocol, businesses can immediately upgrade, better securing their network and improving their overall cybersecurity posture.

Higher Capacity

Wi-Fi 7 can reach up to 320 MHz, meaning it has double the throughput of its predecessor. Moreover, since it supports 6 GHz bands and can handle more antennas, it enables up to 16 spatial streams — a transmission technique that uses multiple antennas simultaneously to send and receive signals — effectively doubling its transmission rate. These improvements will help businesses minimize lag, interruptions and throttling.

Amplified Speed

Wi-Fi 7 transmits over 40 Gbps. While this speed is conditional — users would have to use a 320 MHz channel over 6 GHz — its capabilities are still vastly superior. It supports a throughput of 30 Gbps at minimum, which is still three times as fast as the previous generation’s 9.6 Gbps. An employee could download a 100 GB file in seconds at this rate. 

Moreover, since this standard uses 4096 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) instead of 1024-QAM, it can carry 12 bits of information per symbol instead of 10, effectively increasing its transmission rate by about 20%. This way, companies can send more in less time. It also enables larger files, making 4k and 8k video streams possible. 

Expanded Coverage

Businesses can combat congestion thanks to preamble puncturing — an optional feature fleshed out in the seventh-generation wireless connectivity standards. It enables them to utilize the unused parts of a channel, making their bandwidth more efficient while blocking interference. It’s especially beneficial for firms in urban environments where networks overlap. 

How Businesses Can Implement Wi-Fi 7  

Companies can enable 8K video, interruption-free videoconferencing and rapid downloads by adopting Wi-Fi 7. Here are the steps they can take to implement it:

1. Install New Access Points 

Wi-Fi 7 expands coverage and can handle more users per access point, meaning business leaders can reduce their networking equipment volume. However, they must source new technology — routers, repeaters or hotspots — that is compatible with the new protocol. 

2. Expand Network Coverage

Since Wi-Fi 7 supports powerful, adaptive mesh systems, companies should use them. They provide multiple points of connectivity, preventing dead zones and maximizing signal strength. While such technology requires a higher initial investment, it may be worth it for those who have digitized or actively relied on IoT technologies.

3. Get Compatible Devices

Since this new standard is relatively new, the number of compatible smartphones, smart devices and networking technologies is somewhat low. However, deploying them is essential. While companies don’t necessarily have to adopt them, this is the only way to receive the maximum benefits of upgrading their connectivity.

Business leaders can identify certified devices using the Wi-Fi Alliance’s tools. Alternatively, they can visit the original equipment manufacturer’s website to determine compatibility. In the future, almost all devices will be. However, for now, decision-makers should double-check before committing. 

Gather Experts to Make Implementation a Success

While implementing Wi-Fi 7 is relatively straightforward, business leaders should enlist help from the information technology team to navigate its intricacies. Transitioning from one wireless networking standard to another while managing legacy technology compatibility is challenging. Having individuals with expertise on hand can make the process more seamless.