Wi-Fi 7 trials show ‘significant’ performance gains in enterprise environments

The latest version of the wireless standard, Wi-Fi 7, promises faster speeds, enhanced security, and improved performance and user experience, but to date, adoption across enterprises has been sluggish, and in what may boost business deployment of Wi-Fi 7, the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) has revealed the results of Wi-Fi 7 industry trials in enterprise scenarios that are said to have demonstrated significant improvements in throughput, efficiency and latency.

The trials were conducted in live enterprise environments by the global industry body dedicated to driving the service experience of Wi-Fi across the global wireless ecosystem, in collaboration with AT&T, CommScope (Ruckus Networks) and Intel. At its heart, it set out to evaluate Wi-Fi 7’s real-world performance, highlighting the standard’s ability to support mission-critical enterprise applications such as extended reality (XR), artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing and industrial internet of things (IIoT).

In deeper detail, the trials also focused on assessing rate versus range performance in enterprise settings, comparing Wi-Fi 7 with Wi-Fi 6E across the 5 GHz and coveted 6 GHz bands.

The WBA says that fundamentally, the tests revealed that Wi-Fi 7 delivers nearly double the throughput of Wi-Fi 6E at 5 GHz using 40 MHz channels; sustained throughput of over 1 Gbps up to 40 feet away from the access point (AP) in the 6 GHz band with 160 MHz channels; lower latency and improved efficiency, supporting next-gen applications such as augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR), video conferencing and automation; and greater network reliability, helping enterprises manage high-density environments with thousands of connected devices.

In addition, the trial highlighted downlink speeds of 2 Gbps and reduced congestion with multi-link operation (MLO). It assessed Wi-Fi 7’s capabilities in both controlled and real-world enterprise environments, focusing on throughput, latency and signal range across different frequencies and channel widths.

At 6 GHz with 160 MHz channels, Wi-Fi 7 achieved nearly 2 Gbps downlink throughput at close range, maintaining over 1 Gbps up to 40 feet away. In high-density enterprise settings, where APs must support thousands of simultaneous connections, Wi-Fi 7’s enhanced spectral efficiency and MLO was said to have provided more stable, reliable connectivity, mitigating network congestion even in heavily loaded conditions.

Another key challenge the trial set out to address concerned connectivity of new and legacy devices, in particular demonstrating Wi-Fi 7’s ability to address key connectivity challenges in smart offices, manufacturing, healthcare and immersive digital environments. This trial focused on 160 MHz channels in the 6 GHz band that the WBA said would be typical for high-density commercial Wi-Fi 7 network deployments requiring many access points. However, it emphasises that most current Wi-Fi 7 devices also support 320 MHz channels that would be more common for smaller networks and enable higher levels of performance for hybrid work and consumer experiences.

The WBA believes enterprises that rely on real-time collaboration, video conferencing, AI-driven automation and AR/VR applications will benefit from Wi-Fi 7’s lower latency and higher throughput, ensuring what it called “seamless” user experiences without performance bottlenecks.

The WBA added that the trials confirmed Wi-Fi 7 delivers significant improvements in 5 GHz networks, where many legacy devices still operate, ensuring backward compatibility and an easier transition for enterprises upgrading their infrastructure.

Following the trials, the WBA said it would continue to collaborate with industry leaders to accelerate Wi-Fi 7 adoption, refine implementation strategies and support enterprises in bringing about Wi-Fi 7’s full potential.

“Wi-Fi 7 is not just an evolution: it’s a game changer for enterprise connectivity,” said Tiago Rodrigues, president and CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance.

“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.”