It’s an thrilling time on the planet of Wi-Fi. The Federal Communication Fee (FCC) just lately accepted Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) for service suppliers. Including to this momentum, the FCC granted standard-power certification to a variety of Cisco Wi-fi Wi-Fi 6E entry factors. This implies you’ll be capable of take full benefit of the 6 GHz band to help your wireless-first technique. However what precisely is AFC and normal energy, who requires it, and the way can it profit you and your group?
6 GHz regulation, normal energy, and AFC
The FCC and different regulators all over the world have guidelines round how the 6 GHz band is used. The first consideration is the safety of incumbent operators within the 6 GHz spectrum. Till now, 6 GHz Wi-Fi was restricted to low-power indoor use circumstances to keep away from interference with different operators, resembling mounted satellite tv for pc and broadcast providers. To allow normal energy use within the 6 GHz band, there was a must agree on governance over how the 6 GHz spectrum is used.
The latest choice by the FCC to approve AFC now provides us the power to deploy 6 GHz utilizing normal energy for indoor, outside, and exterior antenna use circumstances. This can be a vital growth that permits us to make the most of all that the 6 GHz band has to supply. And with the US and the FCC taking the lead, different nations are certain to observe go well with.
How does AFC work?
In response to a Cisco whitepaper on 6 GHz rules, the FCC has arrange a framework the place organizations can supply AFC as a service. This AFC service will dictate how a lot energy an unlicensed 6 GHz-capable gadget can transmit on any given channel, or whether or not the gadget shall be allowed to ship in any respect. With out AFC, incumbents may face interference, which might degrade their potential to speak inside the 6 GHz band.
Utilizing normal energy requires the AFC to know the placement of the entry level. All Cisco Wi-Fi 6E entry factors, whatever the stack, can help GPS/GNSS or use geo-location propagation strategies for location willpower. Utilizing this location knowledge, the AFC system queries an FCC database to establish incumbents within the neighborhood of the 6 GHz sign. If incumbents exist, the AFC will robotically block sure channels or scale back energy to components of the spectrum.
The Cisco AFC answer interfaces with AFC cloud providers, per FCC necessities, and offers directors with granular visibility into the out there spectrum and channels, in addition to the ability allocation for every.
AFC is straightforward to configure by way of the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Wi-fi Controller or with the Meraki dashboard.
Determine 1. AFC standing monitoring on the Meraki dashboard.
Determine 2. Customary-power configuration within the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Wi-fi Controller.
The necessity for normal energy
Why would anybody want normal energy? There are a number of causes, however the primary function is to broadcast Wi-Fi within the 6 GHz band with extra energy in each outside and indoor areas. This consists of indoor areas with lofty ceilings and huge open environments. Moreover, outside areas can now broadcast within the 6 GHz band, which is barely allowed in standard-power mode. The general objective is to supply dependable, quick, and uninterrupted providers to customers.
Let’s discuss a couple of examples. Take into consideration outside areas at resorts and sports activities stadiums and the way they join friends to point-of-sale programs, ticketing, and extra. One other instance is in manufacturing. Think about a manufacturing facility flooring with automated guided automobiles (AGVs) and autonomous cell robots (AMRs) linked reliably over distance.
To be taught extra about 6 GHz Wi-Fi in manufacturing, ensure to register for this upcoming webinar.
Healthcare is one other instance—large buildings with lengthy hallways and hovering atriums in addition to giant outside areas. Medical doctors, employees, and sufferers want to stay linked to make sure high quality care and entry to sources.
Adventist Well being, a Cisco buyer, weighed in on the announcement. “We’re enthusiastic about certification for AFC and normal energy. With normal energy, we will prolong 6 GHz Wi-Fi throughout our campuses,” stated Ed Vanderpool, Senior Community Supervisor at Adventist Well being. “It will present our caregivers, employees, and sufferers the pace and high quality of 6 GHz Wi-Fi wherever they selected to roam, with jitter-free voice and video communications, quick entry to vital knowledge recordsdata, and dependable entry to cloud functions. In relation to Wi-Fi and the latest FCC certifications, we belief Cisco for its reliability, functionality, and innovation.”
Register for our 6 GHz webinar with Adventist Well being right here.
Moreover, with normal energy 6 GHz Wi-Fi, cell service suppliers can densify and prolong 5G with highly effective and dependable Wi-Fi when and the place out there. Likewise, retail, training, authorities, sensible buildings, sensible cities, and extra can reap the benefits of normal energy 6 GHz wi-fi to enhance connectivity and ship functions at larger speeds with enhanced safety, each indoor and outside. High quality wi-fi is a mission-critical service for all these industries.
Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7, and past
Cisco has essentially the most complete Wi-Fi 6E portfolio in the marketplace, and as we see Wi-Fi 7 requirements emerge, we’ll proceed to realize much more capabilities to help a rising variety of use circumstances. Wi-Fi 7 builds on the work we’ve got completed in Wi-Fi 6E and can take full benefit of AFC to allow the complete energy of the 6 GHz band.
Certainly one of my workforce members and fellow wi-fi product entrepreneurs, Stefani Johnson, talked about in her latest weblog publish that, “Wi-Fi 7 presents a possibility to land an exceptionally differentiated buyer expertise, elevated income and effectivity, and decreased time-to-value for digital initiatives.”
Cisco Wi-fi skilled Anand Gurumurthy additionally writes about Wi-Fi 7 and says in his newest publish, “[Wi-Fi 7] provides tremendous low latency, extra sturdy connection, larger spectral effectivity, higher interference mitigation, extra power-saving strategies, higher roaming experiences, and elevated safety.”
With an unprecedented variety of units connecting to in the present day’s wi-fi networks, together with anticipated progress, we’re seeing a transformational shift in connectivity throughout the locations we work, store, and reside. It’s on this uber-connected wireless-first world that 6 GHz Wi-Fi and the subsequent technology of functions are driving a brand new wi-fi actuality.
We’ve AFC now, it’s time to start out dreaming up new use circumstances. Take a look at your wants, consider your community, and see how one can profit from standard-power Wi-Fi 6E.
To be taught extra in regards to the Cisco Wi-Fi 6E portfolio, go to the Cisco Wi-fi product web page
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