By Claus Hetting, WiFi NOW CEO & Chairman
NCTA: New data from 13 million APs shows heavy US 6 GHz Wi-Fi usage
NCTA – the US cable and broadband industry association – has published new data based on 2026 usage across more than 13 million Wi-Fi access points operated by five major U.S. providers. According to NCTA’s October 21 report – available here – more than 50% of residential Wi-Fi traffic generated by 6 GHz-capable devices now travels over the 6 GHz band. In large public venues, NCTA says 6 GHz Wi-Fi delivers around three times the speeds of 5 GHz, while major events use every available 6 GHz channel (although not evenly). The data comes from Cisco, eero, Charter, Comcast, & HPE.
The study provides large-scale real-world evidence that both the lower and upper portions of the 6 GHz band are already being used extensively. That strengthens the case for preserving access to the full band as regulators debate future spectrum allocations for Wi-Fi versus mobile services.
FiRa Core 4.1 targets larger, more secure UWB deployments
FiRa Consortium has released its Core 4.1 specifications together with an updated certification program aimed at improving interoperability and large-scale deployment of UWB systems. According to FiRa’s October 20 announcement, Core 4.1 enhances Downlink Time Difference of Arrival (DL-TDOA) positioning with floor identification and cross-cluster synchronisation, useful for multi-floor environments such as airports, hospitals and shopping centres.
It also expands security certification with 256-bit key testing and responder-specific sub-session keys, while extending support for data transfer during ranging operations. FiRa is addressing some of the issues that emerge when UWB moves from isolated point-to-point ranging into larger commercial positioning networks. The updated certification program is already available through FiRa-authorised test laboratories, giving chipset and device vendors a formal path to validate Core 4.1 interoperability.
Extreme Networks turns enterprise network infra into an AI platform
Extreme Networks is previewing ‘Extreme Exchange zones’, an on-prem AI architecture designed to let enterprises run AI applications locally using a combination of dedicated servers and spare processing capacity from existing APs and switches. According to Extreme’s October 21 announcement, workloads will be placed according to customer requirements for latency, data residency, and resilience, while Cloud inference will only be used when policy allows it. Extreme plans general availability in the first half of 2027.
The new initiative from Extreme Networks in theory means that enterprise networking infrastructure could evolve from simply transporting data to also providing distributed compute for local AI workloads. Extreme says this could improve data sovereignty, reduce Cloud costs, and keep critical applications operating during connectivity outages. Key questions remain as to are how much usable compute is actually available in deployed network hardware and which AI workloads can realistically run there.
Zyxel Networks pushes tri-band Wi-Fi 7 into the SMB mainstream
Zyxel Networks has introduced two new tri-band Wi-Fi 7 access points aimed at small businesses and professional users: The NWA50BE MAX and NWA90BE MAX. According to Zyxel’s announcement, both models support simultaneous 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz operation, aggregate wireless rates of up to 9.3 Gbps, and Smart Mesh MLO for multi-band backhaul.
Both APs integrate with Zyxel’s Nebula cloud-management platform, while the NWA90BE MAX adds features including captive portal support, 802.1X, and RADIUS. Zyxel also says the devices draw a maximum of 15 W, helping support deployment on existing PoE infrastructure. Zyxel Networks new APs means the company is pushing full tri-band Wi-Fi 7 with 6 GHz and MLO is further into the SMB segment, where cost, power consumption, and operational simplicity remain critical.
TP-Link plans U.S. assembly of Wi-Fi 8 routers
TP-Link has signed a letter of intent with U.S. electronics manufacturer Key Tronic to begin assembling networking products in Corinth, Mississippi. According to TP-Link’s October 19 announcement, Wi-Fi 8 home networking products are expected to be among the first devices assembled under the proposed arrangement, potentially beginning in 2027.
TP-Link says the launch remains subject to U.S. regulatory approval. That statement refers to the FCC approval required for new router products, not approval of the manufacturing partnership itself. TP-Link has separately been working through the FCC’s Conditional Approval process for new networking hardware. TP-Link is linking the move to supply-chain resilience, domestic manufacturing, and security at a time when the company faces heightened regulatory scrutiny in the United States.
Bluetooth Channel Sounding tests show sharp performance drop
Engineering company Iomico has published field-test results showing how Bluetooth Channel Sounding performance can deteriorate outside controlled conditions. Using Nordic Semiconductor nRF54L15 hardware, Iomico tested static and moving devices under line-of-sight, body-blocked, and busy-street conditions. In the more demanding moving scenarios, ranging errors increased to several metres and measurement availability also fell substantially.
Iomico reports that – at a 5 Hz target rate – only around 20-70% of scheduled measurement slots produced usable distance estimates outside clean line-of-sight conditions. Bluetooth Channel Sounding is being positioned as a lower-cost precision-ranging technology for applications traditionally associated with UWB. Iomico’s results suggest that calibration, antenna design, motion, and environmental multipath can all have a major impact on real-world performance, reinforcing the need for independent validation before comparing headline accuracy claims.
HPE brings Wi-Fi 7 and AI-driven networking to Miami HEAT arena
HPE is upgrading the network at Kaseya Center – home of the Miami HEAT – with Wi-Fi 7, HPE Aruba wireless infrastructure, and HPE Juniper switching. According to HPE’s October 19 announcement, the project will also introduce HPE’s Self-Driving Network capabilities to automate troubleshooting and optimise performance during live events. HPE will monitor and tune the network in the course of five events, the company says. The deployment combines HPE’s Aruba and Juniper portfolios in a demanding high-density venue – and provides another major large-public-venue reference for HPE as it competes with Cisco in stadium and arena networking.
Cisco says Wi-Fi 8 will shift enterprise networking from speed to reliability
Cisco says Wi-Fi 8 will represent a fundamental shift in enterprise wireless, with the emphasis moving from peak speeds toward reliability, coordination, and more intelligent use of spectrum. In an October 20 technical article, Cisco highlights features such as Seamless Mobility Domain (SMD), Dynamic Bandwidth Expansion (DBE), Multi-AP Coordination, Dynamic Subband Operation (DSO), Non-Primary Channel Access (NPCA) and Dynamic Unavailability Operation (DUO).
Cisco says these mechanisms are intended to improve roaming, reduce interference, make better use of congested spectrum, and deliver more consistent performance in demanding enterprise environments. The company also stresses that Wi-Fi 7 remains the right choice for enterprise deployments today, while mainstream Wi-Fi 8 adoption is still several years away.
Synaptics and Google Research expand Coralboard edge AI platform
Synaptics and Google Research have expanded the Coralboard development platform for embedded AI, adding new hardware based on Synaptics’ Astra processors and support for wireless connectivity including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. According to Synaptics’ October 20 announcement, the platform is designed to help developers build connected devices that can run AI models locally rather than relying entirely on Cloud processing. This means increased momentum towards the convergence of wireless connectivity and edge intelligence in products such as cameras, industrial systems, robotics, and smart-home devices. It also gives developers a more accessible route to combining local AI inference with mainstream wireless technologies.
Nordic Semiconductor Q3 revenue jumps 32%
Nordic Semiconductor reported third-quarter 2026 revenue of $235.5 million, up 31.6% year-on-year, with short-range wireless revenue reaching $215.9 million. According to the company’s Q3 2026 results, adjusted EBITDA rose to $39.8 million, more than double the year-earlier level. Nordic also reported higher inventory associated with the ramp-up of its nRF54 product family.
The results point to stronger demand across low-power wireless and IoT markets, with the nRF54 generation becoming increasingly important to Nordic’s growth. For the Bluetooth ecosystem, the numbers are significant because Nordic remains one of the industry’s leading connectivity silicon suppliers. Short-range wireless revenue – however – includes more than Bluetooth and should not be interpreted as Bluetooth-only sales.
Peraso wins $2 million production order for 60 GHz fixed wireless
Canada-based Peraso has secured a production order worth more than $2 million for its 60 GHz fixed wireless access technology, with deliveries scheduled from the fourth quarter of 2026 into 2027. The unnamed customer will use Peraso’s millimetre-wave technology for high-capacity wireless broadband deployments. Peraso’s 60 GHz platforms operate in the unlicensed 57-71 GHz band and are designed for multi-gigabit, low-latency fixed wireless links, including point-to-point and point-to-multipoint networks. The order suggests continuing demand for 60 GHz as a fibre alternative in locations where trenching is expensive or impractical. Peraso’s technology is based on IEEE 802.11ad/ay and uses phased-array beamforming for long-range links.
/Claus.
