WiFi 7 is officially released, bringing new range and performance to WiFi routers across the UK
Over the past 25 years, WiFi has evolved from a high-tech feature on a few high-end desktop PCs to a staple feature in our homes that we take for granted until it stops working.
But for millions of UK households, the pace of progress stopped in 2013 when WiFi 5 arrived.
Many ISPs are choosing to ignore recent advances in WiFi technology, such as support for the 6GHz frequency band https://broadbanddeals.co.uk/news/coming-soon-to-a-router-near -you-the-evolution- of-6ghz-wifi/ or the improved power management features introduced in WiFi 6.
The impending arrival of the globally approved WiFi 7 standard may therefore seem like overkill for the millions of UK households using WiFi 5 routers.
However, ISPs are eagerly upgrading their next-generation broadband routers to incorporate this newly approved technology, officially known as 802.11be.
Almost 250 million WiFi 7-enabled devices are expected to hit the market this year alone, leveraging over 6 genuine upgrades, not to mention older versions such as 5.
So what benefits can you expect from this 7th generation of wireless communications? And when will a properly equipped broadband router https://broadbanddeals.co.uk/guides/routers/ be available? Will it happen?
seventh heaven
Given the complexity of wireless data transmission, it’s easy to get mired in jargon.
Instead, we have tried to simplify the explanation of how WiFi 7 will improve internet connectivity in the country…
need for speed
It is questionable whether domestic users will be able to benefit from the theoretical maximum data speed of 40Gbps offered by the next home broadband router.
Most line speeds are limited to 1Gbps, and streaming services rarely require more than a few megabits per second, so it’s unclear whether these devices will be able to reach their full potential anytime soon. It is never tested.
However, future-proof broadband hardware is important given the speed at which technology is advancing.
Gigabit broadband connections were unthinkable to consumers in the 1990s, but they are now standard in new homes across the country.
The prospect of 8K video streaming and continued growth in IoT has ISPs interested in ordering new types of wireless routers.
It’s also worth noting that even the most efficient WiFi router will probably have a realistic throughput speed of around 5Gbps, once you factor in things that can block the signal around your home.
Even though the 6 GHz frequency is far less congested than the overloaded 2.4 GHz band that previous generations of wireless routers relied on, the latter channel continues to be used.
As for ISPs deploying this new technology, EE (BT) and YouFibre are expected to distribute routers with WiFi 7 by the summer, with others expected to follow before Christmas.
These could be selectively offered to new consumers in premium packages rather than being rolled out by default.
Homes that rely on fiber-to-cabinet connections don’t need these power-hungry devices, but they are expensive until economies of scale reduce manufacturing costs.
