Wi-Fi 7 was introduced to turbo-charge pervasive augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and 4K/8K live streams that are beginning to emerge in home networks around the world. Wi-Fi 7 has been designed to accommodate more users and bandwidth while delivering even better QoE and lower latency, not only by adding more capacity on each frequency band but also by aggregating multiple frequency bands together for even higher bandwidth with Multi-Link Operation (MLO). Combining the higher individual frequency capacity of Wi-Fi 7 with MLO pushes max data rates up to 36 Gbps per device. The specification also allows each frequency band to be dedicated to a specific traffic type – like real-time VR applications – or a single application can run across all three, giving ultimate flexibility for enterprises and homes.
Wi-Fi 7 has also been significantly enhanced to better handle congestion and device interference through Automated Frequency Coordination, ensuring that even a densely packed neighborhood or apartment building can deliver excellent Wi-Fi 7 services by automatically managing frequency and power usage.
Nokia’s new carrier-grade Wi-Fi 7 portfolio
Nokia, last week, launched its Wi-Fi 7 portfolio, giving early adopters access to the benefits of Wi-Fi 7. The company demonstrated the suite at the recently concluded Network X event in Paris, unleashing the opportunities service providers can tap into to monetize the latest advancements in Wi-Fi.
Powered by Corteca, Nokia’s end-to-end software suite for in-home devices, this portfolio enables a sophisticated mesh of Wi-Fi 7 connectivity that integrates seamlessly into both fixed and mobile-connected homes. Comprising the Nokia ONT XS-2437X-A (Fiber ONT), the Nokia FastMile 5G Gateway 7 (Fixed Wireless Access Gateway) and the Nokia WiFi Beacon 24 (Mesh Access Point), the portfolio provides a complete suite that can meet the needs of any operator looking to ramp up their Wi-Fi offerings for home users.
Ready for certification
Nokia’s entire Wi-Fi 7 portfolio has been designed to be fully compliant with Wi-Fi 7 standards. The portfolio will thus be fully certified as Wi-Fi Alliance begins certification in the first quarter of 2024. This ensures that early adopters will gain access to a carrier-grade Wi-Fi 7 solution as early as next year, with ready integration with other Wi-Fi 7 devices as they are released.
Perfecting the home mesh network
The WiFi Beacon 24 is the centerpiece of Nokia’s Wi-Fi 7 portfolio, with a single unit capable of covering up to 325 sq. m (3500 sq. ft.) with speeds of up to 24 Gbps. It is fundamentally a quad-band access point/mesh extender but packs several features that consumers and enterprises will zero in on immediately. The Beacon 24 boasts an innovative omnidirectional antenna that can transmit not only horizontally but also vertically, dramatically reducing the mesh points needed in a multi-storey home or apartment. Speaking of mesh operation, Beacon 24 fully implements the EasyMeshTM specification but also adds several Nokia-specific capabilities. These include spectrum scanning to detect interference and select the best possible channel, flexible band steering and client steering algorithms, and backhaul management and dynamic backhaul optimization algorithms to ensure that the backhaul never becomes a single point of failure. The Beacon 24 can be used with either Nokia’s or a third party’s fixed broadband terminals or FWA gateways. And it can be fully managed through TR-369/USP by any USP Controller.
Extending Wi-Fi 7 into a 5G and FWA home
Nokia’s FWA offering, the FastMile 5G Gateway 7, is a 3GPP-compliant 4G/5G gateway that segues mobile connectivity into a Nokia self-optimizing Wi-Fi 7 mesh network. The dual-band 4+4 gateway was designed for mobile operators to leverage 4G/5G mobile signals to offer home broadband services, with 3GPP Release 17 compliance and a 8 dBi high gain antenna. Driving large-scale FWA deployments for mobile operators, FastMile delivers “wireless fiber” services to more homes and can be upgraded to 8 Rx. The carrier aggregation feature ensures always-on connectivity and increased reliability for high availability environments. The gateway also packs all the features of the Beacon 24, making it a powerful standalone access point for large areas, delivering up to 7 Gbps.
The final member of the new Wi-Fi 7 portfolio is the Nokia ONT XS-2437X-A, a true XGS-PON ONT that comes with a full 10 Gbps symmetrical WAN connection with 1x10G, 3x1G and 19 Gbps Wi-Fi capacity in a single system. This system can also be fully managed through TR-369/USP, making it ideal for use as a managed device by broadband service providers looking to differentiate their service with a highly manageable access point with hyper-connectivity. The ONT can be deployed as a standalone access point that comes with the latest Wi-Fi specification. Where additional coverage is needed, it allows the addition of up to five WiFi Beacon 24 devices, mesh-connected, to create a seamless Wi-Fi 7 network throughout the home.
Amplifying Wi-Fi opportunities with Corteca
On the software end, the Wi-Fi 7 product portfolio is powered by Nokia’s Corteca. This home connectivity software suite elevates Wi-Fi performance, empowering broadband service providers to unlock new sources of revenue, enhance customer experience and reduce operational costs. By automatically optimizing Wi-Fi performance, Corteca delivers an unbeatable customer experience by solving connectivity issues before the end user detects them. End users installing the Nokia WiFi Mobile App get comprehensive control and visualization of their self-optimizing Wi-Fi, enabling more control in the hands of the end user.
For each device deployed in a home, Corteca Cloud enables real-time support and efficiently manages Wi-Fi connectivity for broadband service providers. Through a single-pane-of-glass, network administrators can optimize broadband device deployments and desk agents can troubleshoot in-home Wi-Fi issues. Customer support teams get a real-time, holistic view of the in-home Wi-Fi network to enable them to solve Wi-Fi issues quickly. Revenue teams get detailed reporting of network KPIs to identify areas of improvement and upsell opportunities.
These upsell opportunities are also embedded in the Corteca suite. The Nokia Corteca Marketplace gives broadband service providers access to an entire catalogue of revenue-generating services. These value-added Linux container applications range from enhancing the end-user experience to improving the performance of broadband and Wi-Fi services. The marketplace comes with default applications, for example secure connectivity services like cybersecurity protection, Wi-Fi sensing and advanced parental control solutions that can easily be loaded onto the broadband gateways and activated. Upsell opportunities can also include premium connectivity for streaming video, low-latency gaming or high-priority work-from-home services.
Elevating Wi-Fi 7 experience in the home
Nokia has recognized that broadband connectivity delivered to the home is often undone by patchy Wi-Fi inside the home, with implications on operators’ brand value. With their new Wi-Fi 7 portfolio, Nokia delivers a turnkey, carrier-grade solution for hyperconnected homes without sacrificing manageability or performance. At the same time, it ensures that latest breakthroughs in fixed and mobile connectivity are fully reflected in the home Wi-Fi experience – where it makes all the difference.
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