The Wi-Fi Alliance adopted a simpler naming convention for the sixth generation of 802.11 (802.11ax is officially called Wi-Fi 6), but things are beginning to get complicated again.
The worldwide network has announced that it is adding a new branch to its latest standard: Wi-Fi 6E.
Wi-Fi 6E offers the same benefits as Wi-Fi 6 (e.g., up to 60% faster speeds than the previous generation), but with additional support for a portion of the 6 GHz spectrum.
Regulators are still debating whether to allow unlicensed use of this spectrum to Wi-Fi (and cellular) devices, but evidently, the Alliance is expecting an approval soon.
“If the regulatory landscape permits, we expect companies to move forward aggressively with products that operate in 6 GHz because they understand the tremendous value brought to their customers by this portion of unlicensed spectrum,” said Phil Solis, research director at IDC.