By Claus Hetting, Wi-Fi NOW CEO & Chairman
New Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones support Wi-Fi 7
Apple’s adoption of Wi-Fi 6E for iPhone Pro models last month was largely expected – and so was Google’s introduction of Wi-Fi 7 for their Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones released at the Made by Google event last week. Google Pixel 8 phone models – powered by Broadcom’s Wi-Fi chipsets (although this is nowhere stated, as far as we know) – is the newest of just a couple of handful of Wi-Fi 7-capable phones released.
Most of the other Wi-Fi 7 phones released thus far have been for the Chinese market, which does not permit 6 GHz operation. Google Pixel phones have a history of being among the first to embrace 6 GHz Wi-Fi technology with both Pixel 6 and Pixel 7 supporting Wi-Fi 6E. According to Intel’s 6 GHz device tracker, there were 22 launched Wi-Fi 7 phones at the end of first half 2023.
The case for cellular services in the 6 GHz band seems to be a sinking ship
Last week the CEPT – a regional association of telecoms regulators that includes 46 countries in Europe and surrounds – decided that the ‘European Common Proposal’ for the 6 GHz band will be ‘no change’. Changes are certainly needed if that band is at any time to be allocated to IMT (mobile phone) services. This means that at the moment the prospects of mobile services in 6 GHz look bleak as the world moves towards the ITU’s giant WRC-23 conference to be held in Dubai, U.A.E, in November.
As always the impact of regulatory statements are insanely complicated because what CEPT actually laid out is a series of 5 conditions that must be fulfilled if CEPT is to support anything that is not ‘no change’. That means nothing is yet set in stone. Last month CITEL – the Inter-American organisation loosely equivalent to the CEPT – also adopted ‘no change’ as their position. A ‘no change’ resolution at WRC-23 would pave the road towards full-band 6 GHz Wi-Fi practically everywhere across the world.
Cambium Networks ready for 6 GHz outdoor fixed wireless with AFC
The FCC’s approval of AFC service providers – required for outdoor use standard power 6 GHz unlicensed radio – we’re told is imminent and now Cambium Networks says its ePMP 4600 product line for FWA is ready to be switched on for 6 GHz. Cambium Networks has already verified twelve test deployments for AFC and 6 GHz standard power FWA, the company says.
Tests conducted by consultants at Wispmetrics have verified symmetrical data rates of up to 900 Mbps at 2 miles (about 3 kilometres) of range using the ePMP 4600 system. For AFC services, Cambium Networks is working closely with Qualcomm – for more about Qualcomm’s AFC solution, read here. For more about Cambium Network’s 6 GHz FWA read here.
/Claus.
