Wi-Fi 7 devices earlier than expected: MediaTek tests first hardware


The chip manufacturer MediaTek has presented the first developer platform that is to implement a draft version of the next WLAN standard, IEEE 802.11be. The next generation, also known as Wi-Fi 7, multiplies the speed on the radio channel to up to 46 Gbit/s gross.

The company does not reveal how fast MediaTek’s demo setup is. Real application layer throughput (net) should be well below 46 Gbps. The Wi-Fi Alliance expects 30 Gbit/s, which can be achieved under optimal conditions: To do this, the Wi-Fi 7 base must simultaneously serve several compatible clients via excellent wireless connections via 16 antennas. Wi-Fi 6 achieves a maximum of 9.6 Gbit/s gross under ideal conditions with multiple clients. The c’t editorial team has so far been able to measure a net data rate of 1 to 1.5 Gbit/s between a single device and a router at best.

Wi-Fi 7 increases the maximum channel width to 320 MHz, which already doubles the throughput compared to Wi-Fi 6. The new 4096QAM (12 bits per symbol) modulation stage accelerates by an additional 20 percent over the maximum 1024QAM (10 bits/symbol) of Wi-Fi 6. Multi-Link Operation (MLO) also helps. This should allow videos to be conveniently transmitted wirelessly in 4K and 8K resolution – it should also be possible to use virtual reality glasses without a cable connection.

However, a 320 MHz wide radio channel only fits into the 6 GHz band (Wi-Fi 6E), and there only to a limited extent: the EU has only released 480 MHz in the 6 GHz range so far. Two neighbors, for example, could already get in each other’s way. Meanwhile, the 2.4 GHz range is too narrow at 83 MHz, and the 5 GHz band does not have a coherent 320 MHz block.

According to its own overview, the IEEE Task Group TGbe is expected to finalize the 802.11be specification in early or mid-2024. Even before that, MediaTek wants to sell Wi-Fi 7 chips. The company expects the first devices with the appropriate support next year – presumably based on a preliminary specification of the IEEE standard 802.11be. The current version is draft version 1.31 from December 2021.


(mma)

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