The massification of the deployment of 5G networks is expected by 2019 and 2020. This context implies that mobile devices, such as cell phones, tablets, and computers, will have faster access. They will be capable of reaching peaks of speed between 1-5 gigabit per second. In less than a year, ten times faster connections will be part of our daily life.
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Now, does this mean that having faster access from your phone will make residential Wi-Fi disappear? The answer is NO, but further questions arise. Why then use Wi-Fi? Would we forget to have one or more Wi-Fi routers in our homes?
Basically, users will need data service for their TVs, computers, and smart home devices. All these devices will obviously continue to use Wi-Fi connection. The challenge for operators is to improve the Wi-Fi service offered to them, regardless of whether the Wi-Fi routers cannot play ultra-high resolution videos, virtual reality experiences, or future services such as holographic videoconferences.
How can Wi-Fi Compete With 5G?
To compete with the high speeds offered by the 5G, two Wi-Fi technologies are prevailing.
IEEE 802.11ad WiGig Standard
As a summary, the 802.11ad routers add a new 60GHz antenna to the conventional 2.4GHz and 5Ghz allowing a data transfer of up to 7 Gbps, while the router is in the same environment as the 802.11ad device.
Unfortunately, if the device leaves the environment and loses connection to the 60GHz antenna, it automatically returns to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz antennas. This situation would mean that the user would have many 802.11ad routers at home to guarantee maximum speed in all environments.
802.11ax
Instead of adding a new antenna, it makes more efficient use of traditional bands, flooding each channel with more data. This promises speeds of up to 11 Gbps connected between three devices simultaneously, where one of them can reach up to 5 Gbps.
Independent of the prevailing standard, much will depend on the adoption of users’ devices, the message is the same.
Wi-Fi will be among us for a long time, as long as it manages to evolve quickly to meet the requirement of increasingly-demanding users, who will demand more if they have high speed and bandwidth on their 5G phones.
What should CSPs consider before starting an orchestration project for Multi-Vendor Networks? Learn everything with our Adding Orchestration to Multi-Vendor Networks Webinar.