Future of Wi-Fi in 2016: Anticipating Developments
In the year 2016, Wi-Fi has become the standard for network access, with wired connections relegated to data centers and wiring closets. This shift is not just a trend but a testament to the growing reliance on wireless connectivity in our daily lives.
As we step into 2016, nearly every connection at the edge of a network will be wireless. However, Wi-Fi won't replace mobile data entirely. Instead, it will complement it, especially in densely populated areas like major public spaces, enterprises, and schools.
The rise of Wi-Fi is particularly evident in major international sporting events. The Rio Olympics and Euro 2016, for instance, will depend on Wi-Fi more than ever before. With stadium audiences and fans eager to share photos and videos via social media, delivering a high-grade Wi-Fi service has become critical.
Stadium managers need to think about density and capacity to meet these demands. The increasing number of Machine-to-Machine (M2M) devices, which lack the ability to connect on captive portals, adds to the complexity. By 2020, it is expected that 40% of the projected 10 billion Wi-Fi connected devices will be M2M.
To accommodate this growth, Wi-Fi vendors will need to create new access management capabilities. Xirrus, a company specializing in Wi-Fi solutions, anticipated advancements focusing on delivering higher throughput, enhanced reliability, and better management of dense Wi-Fi environments.
These advancements include improvements in 802.11ac technology, such as multi-user MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) support to enable simultaneous data transmission to multiple devices, increased channel bandwidth, and smarter beamforming techniques to improve signal quality and range.
The smart home is also becoming more prevalent, with systems like Hive and Nest expected to see increased mainstream adoption in 2016. Basic home and office devices such as printers will move towards wireless connections due to the increasing prevalence of Wi-Fi technology.
Moreover, the number of people using Wi-Fi to make calls and send video will continue to increase in the next 12 months. This shift is further fueled by significant advances in Wi-Fi speed, capacity, and reliability. The 802.11ac Wave 2 standard is becoming the new norm for client devices and Wi-Fi infrastructure.
Later in 2016, expect to see a major uptake of the 802.11ax and 60GHz technologies across a range of products, leading to more autonomous and independent wireless devices in the home.
However, challenges remain. Devices like the Apple Watch, for instance, cannot connect to corporate networks due to its lack of support for 802.1x and inability to connect to a guest network due to the lack of browser capability.
Innovations like Chesham's smart pavement, which provides unlimited Wi-Fi speeds of up to 166Mbps from access points hidden in street lamps or manhole covers, open up new approaches to public Wi-Fi. They amplify expectations for safe, simple, and secure access in major public spaces.
As Wi-Fi continues to evolve, it is clear that it will play an increasingly integral role in our lives, transforming the way we connect, work, and play.
Data-and-cloud-computing technologies are expected to leverage the growing prevalence of wireless networks, such as Wi-Fi, in 2016 and beyond. The relevance of technology in this scenario is crucial, as advancements in Wi-Fi, like the 802.11ac Wave 2 standard, will facilitate an increase in cloud-based services, making them more accessible and reliable.
