TP-Link has successfully completed a trial of Wi-Fi 8 in a move the company described as a “critical milestone” in the development of next-generation wireless connectivity.
In a trial conducted alongside an unnamed industry partner, the company said data transmission using a “prototype” device. This test successfully validated both the Wi-Fi 8 beacon and data throughput, according to TP-Link.
“This underscores the feasibility of the technology and marks a critical milestone in global Wi-Fi 8 development,” the company said in a statement.
“TP-Link is taking the next important step towards the highly reliable wireless performance that the industry requires, given the increasing availability of devices and bandwidth-intensive applications.”
The announcement from TP-Link comes in the wake of rapid Wi-Fi 7 adoption in recent years. As ITPro reported in early 2024, the Wi-Fi Alliance began certifying devices that supported the new connectivity standard, which offers improved speed and connectivity compared to its predecessor.
Wi-Fi 7, for example, provides speeds up to four-time faster than Wi-Fi 6 and 6E.
However, if you’re expecting similar improvements akin to the jump from Wi-Fi 6E to Wi-Fi 7, you might be left disappointed. This latest iteration won’t blow users away as far as speed or bandwidth goes.
Indeed, specifications released by the company show Wi-Fi 8 will use the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands – which are already used by Wi-Fi 7. Elsewhere, Wi-Fi 8 will also use a 48 Gbps data rate with a 320 MHz maximum channel bandwidth.
So what’s all the fuss about?
What to expect from Wi-Fi 8
TP-Link is keen to emphasize that this marks the first major breakthrough in development of the new standard, which is a significant milestone.
There will be notable improvements for users, however. Chief among these are stability and reliability, the firm noted.
“Wi-Fi 8 is the next Wi-Fi standard, focused on ultra-high reliability,” TP-Link said in a statement. “Instead of striving for maximum speed, it focuses on stable connections, stronger coverage, and smoother roaming – even on heavily congested networks.”
Wi-Fi 8 will also better manage more devices simultaneously and provide users with a stable connection while moving around a home or office space, for example.
“Devices experience less lag and greater stability - even at greater distances from the router.”
Don’t hold your breath for the arrival of Wi-Fi 8, however. The standard still needs to be ratified, which the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) recently noted will be finalized by 2028.
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