The IEEE 802.11™ Working Group has established a new standardization project focusing on Enhancements for Extremely High Throughput (EHT). The project represents the next-generation standard beyond IEEE 802.11ax™, with target throughput rates of at least 30 Gbps. The project, entitled IEEE P802.11be, will specify MAC and PHY technology improvements for 2.4 and 5GHz, as well as for the 6 GHz band anticipated to be opening for unlicensed use in the next few years. IEEE P802.11be also offers the opportunity to improve integration with Time Sensitive Networks (TSN) to support applications over heterogeneous Ethernet and Wireless LANs, particularly in growing industrial environments, including Internet of Things and sensor applications.
With the ongoing expansion of telecommunications data services, Wireless LAN (WLAN) deployments are projected for continued growth across many environments, including home, enterprise and hotspot deployments. Video traffic, in particular, is anticipated to be predominant in many WLAN deployments, with increased demand for higher throughput to meet application requirements.
Additionally, demand for lower latency operation, driven by new and emerging applications including virtual or augmented reality, immersive gaming, remote office and cloud computing requires IEEE 802.11 WLAN support of enhanced throughput and reliability, reduced latency and jitter, and improved power efficiency. According to Dorothy Stanley, chair, IEEE 802.11 Working Group, “The IEEE P802.11be project will support improved throughput and performance in existing WLAN applications and meet growing industry demand for lower latency high-reliability applications over WLANs, building on the exceptionally strong foundation of IEEE 802.11ax™, now being deployed.”
In May 2019 the IEEE P802.11be Task Group held its first meeting in Atlanta, GA, initiating technical discussions on the wide range of topics within the scope of work.
Stakeholders and others interested in learning more or contributing can visit the IEEE P802.11be Task Group home page and can consult the schedule for upcoming meetings.
IEEE 802.11 specifies the technology for the world’s premier WLAN products. IEEE 802.11-based products are often branded as “Wi-Fi” in the market. IEEE 802.11 standards underpin wireless networking applications around the world, such as wireless access to the Internet in offices, homes, airports, hotels, restaurants, trains and aircraft. IEEE 802.11’s relevance continues to expand with the emergence of new applications, such as the smart grid, wireless docking and the Internet of Things. For more information about the IEEE 802.11 Wireless LAN Working Group, please visit the working group’s landing page.
