World Wi-Fi Day (June 20), I sat down with Kevin Robinson, President and CEO of the Wi-Fi Alliance, to discuss into the state of WiFi connectivity, the evolving WiFi landscape, and the organization's priorities. At the heart of our conversation was a central topic: the future of Wi-Fi hinges on the global availability of the 6 GHz band.
6 GHz: The Lifeblood of Next-Gen Wi-Fi
Access to the 6 GHz band is emerging as the most important enabler of future Wi-Fi performance. Offering up to 1200 MHz of spectrum, it allows for wider channels, reduced interference, and vastly improved throughput and latency. Despite these benefits, full global access to the band remains uneven. While over 60 countries have opened some or all of the 6 GHz spectrum, regulatory uncertainty—especially in Europe and the UK—continues to slow progress.
Efforts are ongoing to ensure that the full band becomes available worldwide. This is particularly important for enterprise-grade deployments, which require predictability and spectrum availability to justify large-scale investments. Unlike other bands, 6 GHz offers the promise of high-performance connectivity without displacing incumbent users, thanks to Wi-Fi’s proven ability to share spectrum responsibly.
From Wi-Fi 7 to Wi-Fi 8
While Wi-Fi 7 is still seeing strong adoption, the Alliance is already forging ahead with Wi-Fi 8 development. The focus is shifting from just throughput to holistic user experience—low latency, reliability, and real-time responsiveness.
The definition phase for Wi-Fi 8 is underway, with the Alliance working closely to determine which features from the IEEE standard should make it into certified products.
“We’re leaning forward and continuing the innovation that’s been the hallmark of Wi-Fi,” Robinson noted.
AI and Wi-Fi: A Synergistic Relationship
Artificial Intelligence is a two-way street in the Wi-Fi world. AI enhances Wi-Fi network operations, while advanced Wi-Fi enables AI-driven applications to thrive.
One significant initiative is the standardization of telemetry through Wi-Fi Data Elements, which allows AI systems to efficiently monitor and optimize networks. This structured data is already being used by other industry bodies like the Broadband Forum.
“AI is going to enable Wi-Fi to deliver a better experience, and Wi-Fi is going to enable AI,” Robinson emphasized.
He pointed to applications like Wi-Fi sensing, which can detect motion or presence, enabling scenarios from elderly care to smart vehicles alerting parents about forgotten infants. These innovations show Wi-Fi's role far beyond connectivity—into health, safety, and smart living.
Wi-Fi HaLow and IoT: Low Power, High Potential
Wi-Fi HaLow, operating in the sub-1 GHz range, is opening up new possibilities for IoT environments. Its long-range capabilities and signal penetration make it ideal for complex deployments, like sensors in underground or concrete-heavy environments.
However, spectrum fragmentation remains a challenge. Unlike 2.4 GHz, HaLow’s frequency allocation is not globally harmonized, limiting economies of scale and interoperability. But as adoption rises and benefits become clear, the Alliance hopes harmonization efforts will gain traction.
Convergence, Not Competition: Wi-Fi and Cellular
The idea that Wi-Fi and cellular are in conflict is outdated.
“This should not be a Wi-Fi vs. cellular conversation. It should be about how we collectively deliver connectivity,” Robinson insisted.
Wi-Fi dominates indoor deployments thanks to its affordability and flexibility, while cellular owns the wide-area mobility use case. The key lies in convergence—seamless handoffs, shared authentication, and unified user experiences.
Technologies like Passpoint and OpenRoaming, jointly advanced with the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), are examples of this collaboration in action. These frameworks help bridge the gap between network types, allowing users to move effortlessly across connectivity layers.
Debunking the Myth: Is Wi-Fi Less Secure Than Cellular?
A persistent misconception—often repeated by cellular proponents—is that Wi-Fi is inherently less secure than mobile networks. Robinson called this out:
“People are either misinformed or, frankly, dishonest.”
Security, he argued, must be compared apples-to-apples. In enterprise or managed environments, Wi-Fi delivers security that is equivalent to or greater than cellular, sometimes powering financial systems, or even U.S. military networks.
Robinson also pointed to innovations like Opportunistic Wireless Encryption (OWE) and client isolation as proof that Wi-Fi is addressing open network scenarios responsibly. Moreover, the Alliance is already exploring how to incorporate quantum-resistant cryptography into future standards.
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