25 years of Wi-Fi: A quarter century of Broadcom innovation

Like the internet and computer, Wi-Fi has woven itself into the fabric of our daily lives for more than two decades. The term “Wi-Fi” – first used in 1999 – helped usher in a new era of connectivity. However, it was Steve Jobs’ iconic “One more thing” reveal at the 1999 Macworld event in New York that truly catapulted Wi-Fi into the limelight. He introduced the iBook^® laptop, fully equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity, marking a pivotal moment in digital communication. This event not only popularized Wi-Fi but also set it on a path to becoming the ubiquitous wireless networking technology it is today, seamlessly integrating into our homes, workplaces, schools, and public spaces around the world.

Remarkable evolution

Wi-Fi technology has evolved considerably over the past 25 years with each generation marked by significant innovation and improvements. In 1999, Wi-Fi was only capable of supporting up to 11 megabits per second based on the IEEE 802.11b standard. Now in its seventh generation, Wi-Fi access points can reach speeds of about 25 gigabits per second. That’s more than 2000x improvement in speed performance.

Continuous improvements to the IEEE 802.11 standards over the past two and a half decades have made Wi-Fi one of the fastest adopted technologies in modern times. From 1999 to the early 2000’s, there were no Wi-Fi enabled mobile devices, only a small number of laptops equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity. Today, Wi-Fi is one of the most prevalent technologies used all over the world with a huge installed base of connected devices, including smartphones, tablets, PCs, and wireless access points. Just to drive home the point, we would not have video streaming services to binge watch your favorite TV shows, or ChatGPT on your computers without Wi-Fi. According to the latest IDC research, there were less than 2.5 million Wi-Fi enabled devices shipped in 2000. By the end of 2024, the cumulative shipment of Wi-Fi enabled devices is expected to surpass 45 billion units with an installed base of more than 20 billion units. Wi-Fi has undoubtedly become ubiquitous in everyday devices and plays an important role in today’s hyperconnected world.

The sheer growth of connected devices in the past decade has led to a massive increase in wireless data traffic, which started putting a strain on the airwaves used by these devices and limiting the actual user experience in many instances. Having the foresight to increase unlicensed spectrum access to meet the rising data demand, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), chaired by Ajit Pai, made a monumental decision on April 23, 2020, to open up 1.2 GHz of spectrum in the 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi. The new swath of bandwidth (5.925 – 7.125 GHz) not only boosts Wi-Fi speed performance but also reduces the uplink and downlink latency dramatically. This was quickly followed by a spate of countries opening up the 6 GHz band for unlicensed access. Today, countries accounting for over 70% of the world’s GDP have enabled the 6 GHz band, underscoring the recognition of better, faster Wi-Fi as a way of life.

Allowing Wi-Fi devices to operate in the 6 GHz band was pivotal in the evolution of Wi-Fi. This paradigm shift in wireless connectivity has enabled major advances in Wi-Fi applications and services and unlocked many new use cases, such as 16K video streaming, real-time collaboration, and wireless gaming.

Sustained continuous innovation

Since the release of IEEE 802.11b standard in 1999, Broadcom has been at the forefront of Wi-Fi development and played a major role in driving innovation and technology adoption. Broadcom has pioneered successive generations of Wi-Fi chips that have enabled countless new applications and transformed wireless experiences. Broadcom Wi-Fi chips are found in billions of devices spanning both the consumer and enterprise markets. With a steadfast commitment to innovation, Broadcom continues to push the frontiers of wireless communications, supporting our global vision of Connecting Everything and bridging the digital divide.

A few of our more notable achievements that have helped in the evolution and advancement of Wi-Fi technology are shown below. While the past 25 years of Wi-Fi have been impressive, we are excited about the possibilities and opportunities that lie ahead for Wi-Fi. We look forward to the next 25 years.

Broadcom

Learn more from our Infographic here.

About the Author:

Vijay is currently running global wireless connectivity product efforts at Broadcom Inc., and evangelizing semiconductor solutions and innovation, through Connected by Broadcom, a video series featuring peers and guests from the technology world.

Vijay Nagarajan, Vice President, Wireless Connectivity Division