5G vs. Wi-Fi 6: How Two Wireless Technologies are Revolutionizing the Internet of Things

The year 2020 was supposed to be a breakthrough year for many technologies but, most businesses have now been forced back into building an infrastructure to transit their workforce to work remotely and ensure continuity of workflow. Nevertheless, an unprecedented set of events have pushed several industries to accelerate the adoption of technologies as they continue to work from home.
 

5G and Wi-Fi 6 are two tech advancements that have been turning eyes around the world since their introduction.  The two wireless technologies are well on their way to revolutionize the Internet of Things as businesses move fast towards digitization and the world is excited.
 

Table of Contents:
- Wi-Fi 6: A Breakthrough in Wireless Technology
- 5G: For a Better Connected World
- How are Wi-Fi 6 and 5G Transforming the IoT?
- 5G and Wi-Fi 6: Rivals or Allies?
 

Wi-Fi 6: A Breakthrough in Wireless Technology

The next-generation Wi-Fi with boosted speed was introduced last year to meet the demand for faster internet amongst the rising internet users. But, Wi-Fi 6 is simply more than a tweak in the speed.
 

Technically called 802.11ax, Wi-Fi 6 is the advancement in the wireless standard doing the same basic things but with greater efficiency in the device-dense areas, and offering much greater bandwidth than its predecessor 802.11ac or Wi-Fi 5. Wi-Fi 6 promises a speed up to 9.6 Gbps up four times than that of Wi-Fi 5 (3.5Gbps). In reality, this is just a theoretical maximum that one is not expected to reach. Even still, the 9.6Gbps is higher speed and doesn’t have to go to a single device but split up across a network of devices.
 

A new technology in Wi-Fi 6 called the Target Wake Time (TWT) lets routers set check-in times with devices, allowing communications between the router and the devices. The TWT also reduces the time required to keep the antennas powered to search for signals, which in turn also improves battery life.
 

Wi-Fi 6 also comes with a new security protocol called WPA3, making it difficult to hack the device passwords by simple guesswork.
 

In short, Wi-Fi 6 means better speeds with optimized battery lives, and improved security.
 

5G: For a Better Connected World

5G is the next in line to replace 4G LTE. While Wi-Fi covers small scale internet requirements, cellular networks like 5G are here to connect everyone and everything virtually on a larger scale.

The technology is based on the Orthogonal frequency-division Multiplexing (OFDM) that reduces interference by modulating a digital signal across several channels. Ability to operate in both lower bands (like sub-6 GHz) and mmWave (24 GHz and above), 5G promises increased network capacity, low latency and multi-Gbps throughput.  5G also uses the new 5G NR air interface to optimize OFDM to deliver not just better user experience but also a wider one extending to many industries, and mission-critical service areas.
 

The 5G technology, in a nutshell, has brought with it ultra-high speeds, increased and scalable network capacity, and very low latency.
 

How are Wi-Fi 6 and 5G Transforming the IoT?

5G and Wi-Fi 6 will fill up the speed gaps that our existing networks are not able to especially, in crowded homes or congested urban areas. It's not just about the speed. The two wireless technologies will increase network capacity and improve signal strengths.
 

On the business front, 5G and Wi-Fi 6 are both living up to the hype they created since their introduction.
 

Wi-Fi 6 has emerged, as the enabler of converged IoT at the edge. It has put IT into OT applications, connected devices and processed data from devices such as IP security cameras, LED lighting, and digital signage with touch screen or voice command. Wi-Fi 6 can now be used in office buildings for intelligent building management systems, occupancy sensors, access control (smart locks), smart parking, and fire detection and evacuation.
 

It’s (Wi-Fi 6) built for IoT. It will connect many, many more people to mobile devices, household appliances, or public utilities, such as the power grid and traffic lights. The transfer rates with Wi-Fi 6 are expected to improve anywhere from four times to 10 times current speeds, with a lower power draw, i.e. while using less electricity.

- Tom Soderstrom, IT Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)


Similarly, 5G will open doors for more devices and data. It will increase the adoption of edge computing for faster data processing close to the point of action. The hype around 5G is because of the three key attributes it comes with: enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable low-latency (uRLLC), and massive IoT device connectivity (mMTC). But there is the fourth attribute that sets it apart from its predecessor: use of a spectrum that operates at the low-end frequency range (typically 600 MHz). Called as ‘low-band 5G’, it delivers high speeds with signals that go for miles without propagation losses and ability to penetrate obstacles. The 5G operates in the new millimetre-wave bands (24 to 86 GHz) delivering more capacity to enable many low-power IoT connections.
 

If we were to point down the benefits, these two wireless technologies are bringing to the Internet of Things those would be:

  • Increased Human-Device Interactions
  • Increased Data and Devices
  • More IoT investments
  • Advancing to the Edge
  • Acceleration towards Industrial IoT
  • Enhanced use of IoT devices
  • Better VUI
     

5G and Wi-Fi 6: Rivals or Allies?

In February, Cisco estimated that by 2023 M2M communications will contribute to 50% or about 14.7 billion of all networked connections. Cisco’s Annual Internet Report reveals that 5G will enable new IoT applications with greater bandwidth and lower latencies and will accelerate innovations at scale. The same report estimates that 10.6% of global mobile connections in 2023 will be 5G, while Wi-Fi 6 hotspots will be 11.6% of all public Wi-Fi hotspots growing 13 times from 2020 through 2023.
 

Wi-Fi6 will serve as a necessary complement to 5G. A significant portion of cellular traffic is offloaded to Wi-Fi networks to prevent congestion and degraded performance of cellular networks (due to demand).

- Thomas Barnett, Director of Thought Leadership, Cisco Systems


The two technologies are here to feed different data-hungry areas with gigabit speeds.
 

With lower deployment costs, Wi-Fi 6 will be dominating the home and business environments where access points need to serve more users covering devices like smartphones, tablets, PCs, printers, TV sets, and streaming devices. With an unlicensed spectrum, the performance of Wi-Fi 6 depends on the number of users, that are using the network at the same time.
 

5G, with its longer range, will deliver mobile connections and accelerate smart city deployments and manufacturing operations. Like LTE, 5G speeds will depend upon users’ proximity to base stations and the number of people using that network.
 

The performance of the two depends largely on the area where they are being deployed. For instance, Wi-Fi can very well handle machine-to-machine communications in a managed manufacturing unit, whereas 5G can enhance campus-wide manufacturing operations efficiently. Businesses will have a decision to make which among the two wireless networks fulfils their data appetite.
 

In conclusion, the two wireless technologies continue to develop in parallel and causing the next big wave in the Internet of Things.

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PR Newswire | October 05, 2023

Viavi Solutions Inc. (VIAVI) (NASDAQ: VIAV) today announced the availability of NITRO® Wireless, a portfolio of solutions enabling all participants in the ecosystem – equipment manufacturers, service providers, semiconductor companies, software developers and system integrators – to accelerate technology development by validating performance at each stage in intelligent, intuitive and automated ways. The company will showcase NITRO Wireless at events around the globe, including Futurecom (São Paulo), FYUZ (Madrid), Network X (Paris) and India Mobile Congress (New Delhi). With 5G reaching a tipping point in terms of buildout and capabilities, leading service providers and their ecosystems are developing paths to 6G. Industrial applications such as large-scale private networks, smart cities and critical communications require higher throughput and lower latency to enable the real-time computing and communication of precise sensing, imaging and positioning data. The introduction of TeraHertz/Terabit/microsecond connectivity through the cloud, open networking in a multi-vendor environment, and AI/ML to automate network operation, all point to a fundamental re-architecting of the network, at the semiconductor, equipment, software and application levels. The resulting challenges of network performance, quality of service (QoS), security and energy consumption now need to be mitigated and simplified. NITRO Wireless brings together proven performance and interoperability test platforms used throughout the industry for 3GPP and O-RAN with cloud, intelligence, automation, and digital twin technology enabled by the Network Integrated Test, Real-Time Analytics and Optimization (NITRO) platform. As networks become more complex and layered, a focus on measuring and assuring experience from the user perspective – by emulating usage scenarios modeled on real network data – generates the essential intelligence to simplify the delivery of new technology. NITRO Wireless use cases include: RAN Intelligence - The NITRO Wireless TeraVM RIC Test trains the RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) based on data from real network scenarios, the App Validation Engine (AVE) acts as an App "IQ test" to validate if the proposed changes improve RAN efficiency, and Geolocation exposes geolocated data to r/xApps including 24/7 insights on spatial distribution and mobility dynamics of subscribers. Private Network Intelligence – To support the high reliability and QoS requirements of Private Networks, NITRO Wireless offers signal analysis, timing and synchronization verification, antenna alignment, fiber certification, and coverage and performance testing from design to operation. Network Security – 5G RAN, 5G Core, Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), Next Generation Firewalls, VPN and cloud security solutions all need to be compliant against the latest specifications, while ensuring network performance remains uncompromised. NITRO Wireless Open RAN Security Solution provides test coverage that includes 3GPP SCAS compliance, DoS and fuzzing attack, O-Cloud resource exhaustion, protocol validation, port scanning and open fronthaul security test. Digital Twin – Digital Twins can reduce business risk in multiple ways. Test software updates and introduce new services in a safe environment to pre-empt failures when deployed in the live network. NITRO Wireless Digital Twins combine tools such as RAN and Core emulators, assurance solutions, realistic traffic scenarios, and cyberthreats to mirror an operator's network in the lab, allowing network changes and challenges to be planned and implemented with results analyzed before action is taken on the live network. Military Communications – NITRO Wireless integration and test portfolio offers complete end-to-end and subsystem testing of 5G private military radio and core networks. These can be deployed on the ground, via HAPs or via satellite. "While 5G offers new opportunities with an exciting potential to offer connectivity and amidst the race to deploy these networks, it's vital that reliability, stability, and performance testing are done to ensure success. Network resiliency requirements, complexity and risk thresholds are introducing new dynamics," said Shamik Mishra, CTO Connectivity, Capgemini Engineering. "We are very happy to work closely with VIAVI at our '5G-Lab-As-A-Service' in Portugal and global O-RAN engagements to leverage the potential of this emerging technology and contribute to harmonize efforts for connectivity-driven transformation across the industry." "We're excited to work with VIAVI on helping move the industry forward to accelerate the adoption of Open RAN," said Lakshmi Mandyam, vice president, Service Provider Product Management and Partner Ecosystem, VMware. "Our companies share a vision of what it will take to address the challenges hindering adoption by simplifying the path for CSPs to test, profile, and certify third-party xApps and rApps through a common framework. VIAVI's leadership in Open RAN testing and VMware's leadership in RIC make this an ideal collaboration." With each generation, networks grow more layered, disaggregated and complex, said Ian Langley, Senior Vice President, Wireless Business Unit, VIAVI. NITRO Wireless cuts through the technology fog with cloud intelligence and automation based on VIAVI's trusted expertise in performance validation, so our customers can stay focused on the drivers of the top and bottom line. About VIAVI VIAVI (NASDAQ: VIAV) is a global provider of network test, monitoring and assurance solutions for telecommunications, cloud, enterprises, first responders, military, aerospace and railway. VIAVI is also a leader in light management technologies for 3D sensing, anti-counterfeiting, consumer electronics, industrial, automotive, government and aerospace applications. In 2023, we celebrate over 100 years of Network Transformation and Optical Innovation. Learn more about VIAVI at www.viavisolutions.com. Follow us on VIAVI Perspectives, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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Mobile OS

Celona Signs Agreement to Advance the State of Seamless Mobile Connectivity at Stanford Health Care

GlobeNewswire | September 28, 2023

Celona, a pioneer and innovator of private mobile network solutions, today announced that Stanford Health Care (SHC) is standardizing on Celona’s 5G LAN products and technology. The solution is being deployed within its hospitals and clinics to advance the quality and speed of healthcare services and electronic communications for doctors, clinicians, patients, visitors and staff. The agreement, focused on delivering the first of its kind CBRS-based private wireless and neutral host connectivity services, will provide in-building public cellular coverage for T-Mobile subscribers along with highly reliable private cellular network connectivity and mobility services to support critical care use cases. Stanford Health Care will initially implement Celona private wireless and neutral host services across four buildings, including a hospital facility and three medical offices. This deployment is anticipated to inform future installations across other Stanford Health Care locations. Today’s healthcare organizations increasingly rely on wireless connectivity to optimize internal operations and improve the care experience for patients, visitors, doctors, and clinicians. Traditional Wi-Fi and distributed antenna systems (DAS) have inherent limitations in addressing the growing demand for seamless mobility and reliable, pervasive wireless coverage. Addressing these challenges, Stanford Health Care will deploy Celona's 5G LAN and neutral host architecture that leverages shared cellular spectrum and existing enterprise network resources to create an efficient, cost-effective communications infrastructure. The new public/private wireless network ensures the highest levels of connectivity, security, and uninterrupted mobility for all users, regardless of facility size. The network will also enable new private wireless use cases such as critical clinical communications and digital mobile applications on devices like mobile devices, handhelds, connected IoT devices etc. Stanford Health Care’s new private wireless infrastructure will be based on Celona's 4G/5G CBRS radio access network technology integrated into SHC's existing IP network and connected to Celona's cloud-based Multi-Operator Exchange Network (MOXN) service. This modern approach to improving in-building cellular signal coverage gives organizations more control over the user experience. All mobile subscriber connections are automatically aggregated and directed through a single secure tunnel to the mobile network operator (MNO) core thereby guaranteeing a seamless and reliable user experience. In the initial phase, this solution will provide T-Mobile service, with the potential to provide service for other mobile network operators in the future. "Stanford Health Care is at the forefront of innovation, aiming to provide the best healthcare experience possible, for both our patients and our staff," stated Christian Lindmark, CTO of Stanford Health Care. “In addition to providing in-building cellular signal, our vision includes using the platform to create a secure, private wireless network for core medical wireless technologies, such as clinical communication, patient monitoring and clinical video feeds.” Celona's Multi-Operator Exchange Network (MOXN) technology — a cloud-hosted software exchange that streamlines operations by eliminating cumbersome hardware — ensures a seamless user experience while meeting subscriber service level agreements and key performance indicators. Clinical Mobility, a leader in healthcare wireless communication, will provide design, engineering, implementation, and ongoing support for the project. Over the last year, Clinical Mobility leveraged their experience in wireless technologies in healthcare to advise Stanford. This advice has covered understanding the key use cases for this technology in the Stanford environment as well as assisting with an analysis of various vendors in the market. Clinical Mobility is also expanding the partnership with Celona to the broader healthcare market. "We are proud to collaborate with Stanford Health Care to redefine mobile experiences within healthcare," said Rajeev Shah, Co-Founder and CEO of Celona. "Our 5G LAN solution, combined with the cloud-based MOXN technology, will reshape in-building wireless economics through shared infrastructure, ultimately advancing the future of healthcare connectivity." This deployment represents a leap forward in healthcare innovation, embedding private 5G connectivity into the heart of patient care. This transformational technology is set to reshape healthcare by integrating advanced solutions into medical facilities. Celona's 5G LAN solutions empower healthcare professionals to access real time data, remote diagnostics, and telemedicine services at their fingertips. This milestone marks the beginning of a new era in connected healthcare where private 5G connectivity establishes a gold standard for efficiency, accuracy, and patient well-being. About Celona Based in Silicon Valley, Celona is a pioneer and leading innovator of enterprise private wireless solutions. The company is credited with developing the industry’s first 5G LAN system, a turnkey 4G/5G system that enables enterprises and mobile network operators to address the growing demands for more deterministic wireless connectivity for critical business applications and vital use cases not met by conventional wireless alternatives. Celona’s products and technology have been selected and deployed by a wide range of customers including Verizon, NTT, SBA Communications, Standard Steel, and Haslam Sports Group. To date, the company has raised $100 million in venture funding from Lightspeed Venture Partners, Norwest Venture Partners, NTT Ventures, Cervin Ventures, DigitalBridge and Qualcomm Ventures. For more information, please visit celona.io and follow Celona on Twitter @celonaio.

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Wireless

Spectralink launches next-generation enterprise wireless handsets: the Spectralink S Series

PR Newswire | September 14, 2023

Spectralink, the leading provider of international enterprise mobility solutions, launches a new family of enterprise-grade wireless handsets designed to meet the needs of deskless mobile workers: the Spectralink S Series. The new handsets, an exciting addition to our DECT product portfolio, are comprised of three models. When paired with our Spectralink (IP-) DECT infrastructure, the innovative new handsets complete a wireless calling solution that is fully interoperable and easy to integrate with alarms, messaging and business telephony platforms (such as Microsoft Teams, Cisco, ZoomPhone, RingCentral, Dstny and Avaya), delivering crystal clear voice quality. The durable design is combined with a secure platform responding to the requirements of users in the industrial, retail, hospitality, and healthcare segments. The S Series handsets simplify the Spectralink portfolio moving to 3 global models: S33, S35, S37. The three new devices share a set of common accessories including chargers and belt clips, simplifying processes at purchasing, as well as deployment stages. The Spectralink S Series provides full compatibility with the Spectralink AMIE® (Advanced Mobile Intelligence for Enterprise) platform which enables the centralised management of overall Spectralink IP-DECT infrastructure. Modern-day workers have become accustomed to engaging graphics with intuitive icon-driven navigation, so they expect the same user-experience from their work tools. The new handsets combine a sleek, contemporary colour display with Spectralink's trademark robust design, suited to even the toughest working conditions. In addition to this, the handsets offer crystal-clear voice quality with best-in-class noise-cancellation technology, safeguarding the integrity of critical communications even in loud production environments that tend to drown-out voice on single microphone devices. The rugged design is also able to withstand dust particles, water or chemical detergents, where handsets are regularly exposed to these external agents. Because frontline workers have to remain connected in challenging conditions, Spectralink has developed the S Series to consistently put best-in-class communication into the palm of workers' hands, protecting their personal safety as well as their productivity. The S Series provides lone workers, such as engineers taking readings in remote or dangerous areas of a production site, security workers and night guards, with a full range of built-in safety features. The handsets in fact offer a number of protection tools ranging from red alarm buttons to alarm icons, from pull-cords to automatic motion detection. Finally, devices come equipped with a full range of productivity enhancing benefits such as integration with Microsoft Teams, Bluetooth 5.1 support to enable headsets or other accessories, programmable side-key as well as messaging capabilities. "The new handsets add to our industry leading DECT solutions, confirming Spectralink's commitment to innovation. We provide our customers with the most durable mobile infrastructure for business-critical communication, collaboration, and worker safety," declares Doug Werking, CEO at Spectralink Corporation. "The new handsets enable excellence by empowering mobile workforces, but, more importantly, they introduce the most innovative DECT device family in the global market designed to provide modern user experience and future-proof investment for new innovation." About Spectralink As an award winner in mobile technology, Spectralink has been transforming the way our customers work and communicate for almost 30 years. Through our determination to do extraordinary things, we enable mobile workforces and empower our customers and partners to explore what's next, what's possible. With our enterprise grade, best-in-class mobile solutions, we are with our customers wherever they work, however they need us. Our people, commitment to innovation and our passion are our foundation for success.

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