JOHANNESBURG, January 19, 2026, 13:45 SAST
- On Monday, a networking executive noted that companies are accelerating their Wi-Fi upgrades, drawn by Wi-Fi 7’s promise of more reliable performance for work applications.
- Intel reports that lab tests reveal Wi-Fi 7 clients outperform older Wi-Fi 6 devices, even when using legacy routers, with the most significant gains seen on 6 GHz bands.
- Wi-Fi 7 modules are rolling out alongside key spectrum policy moves, influencing how quickly the standard reaches offices and industrial environments.
As Wi-Fi 7 moves beyond initial deployments into routine network planning, companies are accelerating their Wi-Fi upgrade schedules, according to a South African networking executive writing on Monday. This shift is prompting a rethink of designs that previously treated “critical” connections as exclusively wired. Co
Why it matters now: Wi-Fi networks are handling far more office traffic than originally designed for—everything from video conferencing and cloud applications to crowded meeting rooms and busy campuses. Companies that postponed upgrades face refresh choices that affect budgets, building designs, and security strategies.
Wi-Fi 7, or IEEE 802.11be, focuses on reducing latency and delivering more consistent performance rather than simply boosting peak speeds. It introduces wider 320 MHz channels and uses “4096-QAM,” a modulation technique that crams more bits into each transmission when the signal quality is good.
A standout capability is multi-link operation, or MLO, enabling devices to transmit and receive on multiple bands simultaneously. This ramps up throughput or provides a backup path when interference occurs. “WiFi 7 does not replace Ethernet everywhere, but it removes the automatic assumption that critical equals wired,” Martin May of Duxbury Networking explained.
Intel’s latest test data backs the idea that early adopters won’t have to fully “rip and replace” their gear to benefit. In over-the-air trials at its Oregon wireless lab, Intel reported a Wi-Fi 7 laptop connecting to an older Wi-Fi 6 router achieved up to 19% faster speeds at distance, especially where signals had to penetrate walls. Carlos Aguirre, Intel’s senior director of wireless marketing, pointed out that new products include “design improvements and optimisations that enhance performance with legacy devices as well.” Wifinowglobal
Intel’s tests highlighted the real-world limits that affect upgrades. The largest performance gains occurred when Wi-Fi 7 devices operated on the 6 GHz band and when the router’s backhaul—the wired connection supplying the router—exceeded 1 gigabit per second, Intel reported. They also noted that their Core Ultra Series 3 laptop platform, called Panther Lake, featuring the BE211 Wi-Fi 7 card, will hit stores in late January.
Module manufacturers are focusing on making Wi-Fi 7 modules easier to integrate into gateways and industrial devices, where constraints like space, heat, and interference are critical. Compex has rolled out a series of Wi-Fi 7 “dual-band dual-concurrent” modules featuring Qualcomm’s QCN6224, QCN6274, and QCN9274 radio chipsets. These modules support MLO alongside Wi-Fi 7 features like OFDMA, which allocates airtime across users. Cnx Software
Spectrum remains a key bottleneck, particularly the 6 GHz band, which offers Wi-Fi 7 the space for wider channels and less interference than the crowded 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Analyst Dean Bubley of Disruptive Analysis emphasized that “the full benefits can only be demonstrated when the whole range from 5.9-7.1 GHz is made available for unlicensed use,” highlighting uneven global allocations and the slow adoption of automatic frequency coordination (AFC). This system consults a database before permitting higher-power 6 GHz transmissions, ensuring protection for existing users. Fierce Network
South Africa has already made a move in this area. In 2023, ICASA revised its regulations to open up the lower 6 GHz band—from 5925 to 6425 MHz—for licence-exempt Wi-Fi use. The authority said this change would enable more connections, reduce latency, and cut down interference in crowded environments. Org
Intel and Qualcomm occupy different ends of the same spectrum: Intel pushes Wi-Fi adoption in PCs, whereas Qualcomm’s radio chips power countless routers, gateways, and embedded devices. As both ecosystems ramp up support for 6 GHz-capable hardware, it becomes simpler for companies to view Wi-Fi not just as a convenience but as a core access layer.
The upgrade math isn’t always promising. Analysts caution that a lot of users will stick with their existing Wi-Fi 4, 5, or 6 gear for years. Some budget “Wi-Fi 7” routers don’t even include 6 GHz support, and backhaul constraints can bottleneck speed improvements despite a strong wireless connection. Network design remains critical—without careful access point placement, channel planning, and thorough certification testing, the expected improvements in latency and reliability might never materialize outside the lab.
