Wi-Fi Alliance Introduces Generational Wi-Fi Branding

On October 3, 2018, the Wi-Fi Alliance introduced a new branding mechanism for both existing and upcoming Wi-Fi technologies. The new approach will replace the conventional IEEE task group extension names, e.g., 802.11n, 802.11ac, and 802.11ax, with a numerical sequence to represent each new generation of Wi-Fi standards. The new naming conventions are aimed at providing manufacturers, operators, and end users with a much easier to understand approach to the numerous available Wi-Fi standards and protocols, enabling them to clearly discover what Wi-Fi technologies are supported by a device, in addition to how that device is currently connecting to the existing Wi-Fi network. Examples of this new naming system include the following:  

• Wi-Fi 6 to identify devices that support 802.11ax technology
• Wi-Fi 5 to identify devices that support 802.11ac technology
• Wi-Fi 4 to identify devices that support 802.11n technology

For some time, ABI Research has identified the need for Wi-Fi to strengthen its branding and market message in order to better convey the new features and functionalities supported in the latest Wi-Fi standards. ABI Research’s recent report into 802.11ax and the future of Wi-Fi argued that “the Wi-Fi Alliance and others in the industry should investigate the role they can play in effectively conveying the 802.11ax message beyond the upcoming certification program. Consumers still have relatively limited knowledge about the features that different Wi-Fi protocols can offer. Organizations such as the 3GPP and Bluetooth SIG have mostly stuck with a generational shift (e.g., 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G, or Bluetooth 3.0, Bluetooth 4.0, and Bluetooth 5), meaning that it is easier to understand devices that support the most recent enhancements. In contrast, Wi-Fi utilizes the IEEE 802.11 working group titles such as 802.11n, 802.11ad, 802.11ac, and 802.11ax, making widespread understanding more challenging. Chipset vendors such as Broadcom are alleviating this to a certain extent with “Max Wi-Fi” branding, but more work needs to be done to help promote new Wi-Fi technologies and build a more solid understanding of the advantages of each new standard in the consumer space.” As Edgar Figueroa, president and CEO of Wi-Fi Alliance noted in the press release, for nearly two decades, “Wi-Fi users have had to sort through technical naming conventions to determine if their devices support the latest Wi-Fi,” and this has not been an easy process. Many end users simply do not understand the differences between 802.11ax, 802.11ac, and 802.11n, and which is the superior technology.

Beyond the naming itself, perhaps the most interesting aspect of the announcement is that device manufacturers or OS vendors have the ability to choose to implement UI visuals that indicate the connection that a device is making to a Wi-Fi network. In a similar way to how cellular connectivity switches between 3G and 4G in a smartphone display, the UI visual has the potential to adjust in real-time to indicate that the connection has shifted from Wi-Fi 5 to Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ac to 802.11ax). This development will give the end user much greater awareness than ever before of the capabilities of both their own network and the networks they are connecting to, allowing them to easily visualize potential changes to their Wi-Fi device performance in real time.

ABI Research believes that this move is a positive one that ultimately has the potential to drive innovation in the Wi-Fi industry and make new Wi-Fi standards an increasingly important factor in a consumer’s purchase decision, while broadening the knowledge of various Wi-Fi features and standards across the industry as a whole. ABI Research has argued for some time that device OEMs should make new standards such as 802.11ax Wi-Fi (now Wi-Fi 6) a key aspect of product marketing. Most client devices have traditionally only been marketed as Wi-Fi-enabled, with specific supported protocol information often relegated to specification sheets, if at all. Similarly, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products all sport the same logo, regardless of protocol supported. With 802.11ax, and now Wi-Fi 6, there is a new opportunity to educate consumers about the benefits of 802.11ax and to help differentiate between different product lines. Broadcom’s messaging around 802.11ax with “Max Wi-Fi” is a good example of potential branding and helps to convey the message of 802.11ax effectively. ABI Research had previously suggested that OEMs leveraging Broadcom’s chipsets should leverage this branding in their devices as a way of differentiating between previous standards and the new technology in an easily digestible manner. With such huge traffic demands being placed on Wi-Fi, OEMs should put new Wi-Fi enhancements and supported protocols at the forefront of device marketing and messaging, and Wi-Fi 6 may now make this process much easier.

In a similar vein, disparate industries and ecosystems should work together to promote a consumer-level understanding of MU-MIMO in order to drive interest around the value of adopting the technology. This applies to both 802.11ac Wave 2 and 802.11ax devices. Significant education in the industry is needed to determine what solutions will be able to provide the best Wi-Fi performance. There is currently a lot of confusion and a lack of clarity around what features and speeds different standards can support, in addition to new messaging around mesh and multi-AP solutions. This is particularly challenging in the consumer space. Ensuring the best performing Wi-Fi solutions will require an effective combination of 802.11ax with multi-AP/mesh deployments. Service providers that can offer the most cost-effective implementation of multi-AP 802.11ax will have a very compelling solution. There is also a need for a better understanding of different MIMO configurations, and these should be advertised clearly with the device.

Ultimately, ABI Research believes this is a step in the right direction for the Wi-Fi Alliance and can only be a positive move for the technology. Perhaps more interestingly, the greater awareness of Wi-Fi devices strengths and limitations could also drive competition and greater incentivization in the market. People may no longer be happy with legacy connectivity in their broadband providers’ default supplied router and may be willing to spend extra on a device with Wi-Fi 6 versus Wi-Fi 5, in a similar vein to 3G versus 4G and soon to be 5G in the cellular space. This could lead to an increasingly competitive market in which Wi-Fi is leveraged as a key differentiator between different device types.