Launched on September 16, Wi-Fi 6 will become widespread in the Telecom sector. Indeed, according to the Wi-Fi Alliance, more than 1.6 billion devices will offer it by the end of 2020. "This is the first time in the history of Wi-Fi that we're going to see so much progress. The impact of Wi-Fi often goes unnoticed. Yet even international trade depends on it! Wi-Fi 6 is there, it's a reality, companies deliver their products," enthuses Kevin Robinson, Wifi-Alliance's Vice President of Marketing.

 

The next mobile phone standard, 5G, is planned for 2020 in France. Telecoms operators will first have to buy the valuable licenses this fall. However, using free frequencies, Wi-Fi 6 was able to arrive this summer in France.

This version 6 has many advantages. It allows dozens of devices to be connected simultaneously. "Today, in an average family of four people, there are at least four phones on the same Wi-Fi, not to mention business smartphones, tablets, one or more PCs, a connected TV... We see that the number of devices per household is increasing faster than the speed consumed," explains Christian Gacon, director of fixed networks at Orange Labs.

But 5G should not relieve the problem. 5G uses high frequency bands, compared to 4G, which allow broadcasting further away but penetrate less well inside buildings. For this reason, 5G will be used mainly outdoors and Wi-Fi 6 indoors. "These are two complementary technologies. For example, Wi-Fi 6 will not allow the development of autonomous cars!" says Kevin Robinson. In the industrial world, 5G will therefore be essential for uses requiring very low latency and long range. Wi-Fi 6 is more suitable for short-range uses.

 

But others are more measured. "Wi-Fi 5 is already very powerful and will support the next ten years. Wi-Fi 6 is for the next twenty years. It brings an improvement... From my point of view, the real breakthrough came with Wi-Fi 5," says Marc Taieb, president and founder of Wifirst.

 

 

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Source : Les Echos