Page 74 - SAMENA Trends - January 2021

TECHNOLOGY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Wi-Fi 6E Certification Will Cause Device Surge

The Wi-Fi Alliance’s Wi-Fi 6E certification is now available. Wi-Fi countries that also have made that move include the U.K., Chile,
6E refers to the Wi-Fi standard that applies to Wi-Fi operation in the South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, as well as European
6 GHz spectrum band. The certification is designed to help ensure Union countries. The Wi-Fi Alliance also expects to see the 6Hz
secure, reliable, interoperable experiences by using certified band opened for unlicensed operation in Brazil, Canada, Mexico,
devices. This development will add tremendous momentum to Peru, Taiwan, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar and Jordan. Several
the launch of Wi-Fi 6E compatible and interoperable devices. product vendors are already unveiling Wi-Fi 6E devices, a Wi-Fi
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has opened 1200 Alliance press release notes. Wi-Fi 6E certification utilizes WPA3
MHz of 6 GHz spectrum for unlicensed use, including Wi-Fi. Other security, which continues to evolve to protect against new threats.
Recent updates include more robust password generation and the
ability to mitigate additional attacks. Wi-Fi 6E capabilities include
orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA), target
wake time (TWT) and multi-user multiple input, multiple output
(MU-MIMO). “These features all benefit from the additional 6 GHz
spectrum capacity and the availability of up to seven super-wide
160-MHz channels to move more data and deliver high-bandwidth
Wi-Fi 6E applications including unified communications, AR/VR
and holographic video,” the Wi-Fi Alliance said in a press release.
“Wi-Fi 6E delivers lower latency to satisfy industrial IoT and
enterprise environment requirements. Wi-Fi 6E brings additional
capacity, speed, and reduced latency for critical activities such as
telecommuting, telepresence, and distance learning.”

Comcast Aims for True 1 Gig Over WiFi Experience

Comcast says it’s now delivering the fastest internet speeds over service. “We are hyper-focused on advancing our internet product
WiFi in the Northeast, after bumping up speeds and gateways with new innovation,” said Kevin Casey, president of Comcast’s
for its 1-gig customers in 14 states. The cable operator said it’s Northeast Division, in a statement. “Now our customers can enjoy
upgraded speeds for these customers from 1 Gbps to 1.2 Gbps, faster speeds, state-of-the art gateways with WiFi 6 technology,
making it possible to achieve true gigabit-speed broadband over wall-to-wall WiFi coverage, personalized tools and controls, and
WiFi. Comcast said it will also upgrade at no additional charge its advanced cybersecurity protection.”
gigabit customers who don’t already have WiFi 6-certified routers
to xFi Advanced Gateway devices capable of gigabit speeds. With
the changes, customers paying full freight for gig-speed Internet
from Xfinity can now say they're actually getting 1,000 megabits
per second. The rollout in Northeast markets “from Maine to
Virginia to Washington, D.C.” started on Jan. 7, said Comcast,
adding that it will take initiative and reach out to gig customers
who don't have the right gear. The move comes as Comcast’s
gigabit speed customers, perhaps more aware of SpeedTest.net
than other customer cohorts, seem to be increasingly complaining
that their pricey broadband service is delivering less than 1 Gbps.
Comcast has offered gigabit-speed service to its entire footprint
since 2018. The company hasn’t disclosed how many of its 30
million high-speed internet customers pay for 1 gig. But a recent
study conducted by consultancy OpenVault found that only
around 5.6% of U.S. cable broadband customers take 1 Gbps

74 JANUARY 2021