The Future of Business Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7 and OpenRoaming

Seamless, reliable connectivity isn’t just a nice-to-have anymore—it’s essential for modern business operations. As the demands on networks grow, Wi-Fi 7 takes the foundation laid by Wi-Fi 6 and elevates it further to deliver more consistent throughput and latency for higher-density networks. This reliability is important when using a 5G SIM credential for authenticating into a Wi-Fi 7 access network. The operator wants to know they are moving their users’ traffic to a good Wi-Fi network, and Wi-Fi 7 provides the capability to do that.

Key features such as Multi-Link Operation (MLO) allow devices to communicate over multiple channels simultaneously, reducing congestion and ensuring ultra-reliable, low-latency connections. This is crucial as businesses deploy more devices—from IoT sensors to augmented reality (AR) tools—and need networks that can handle the increased load without sacrificing performance.

For businesses, Wi-Fi 7 is not just about faster connections; it’s about creating smarter, more efficient networks that support modern applications and workflows. From retail to healthcare to logistics, Wi-Fi 7 is set to improve the way businesses operate by offering seamless connectivity and greater network reliability.

Wireless convergence: the future of seamless networks

Wireless convergence is the ability to use multiple access networks together for an optimal end-user or device experience. Wi-Fi and 5G are the world’s dominant wireless access networks. For carriers, the idea is to make the underlying network technology invisible to the user. Whether they’re connected via Wi-Fi or 5G, they experience the same fast, reliable service without noticing any transition.

This convergence is essential for industries like retail, healthcare, and logistics, where constant connectivity is crucial for both customer experiences and business operations. However, achieving seamless transitions between networks requires overcoming challenges like managing multiple access points, interference, and securing connections across both business and consumer environments. This is where OpenRoaming comes into play.

OpenRoaming: Simplifying connectivity across networks

Seamless wireless roaming, especially between Wi-Fi and 5G networks, has long been a challenge. While 5G offers global connectivity due to established business-to-business roaming agreements between carriers, Wi-Fi networks require a roaming methodology to seamlessly authenticate when accessing different Wi-Fi hotspots.

OpenRoaming, now an industry standard run by the Wireless Broadband Alliance, addresses this gap by using Wi-Fi Alliance (WFA)’s Passpoint technology to enable automatic, secure connections across millions of Wi-Fi access networks. This eliminates the need for manual log-ins or captive portals, making Wi-Fi as easy to access as cellular but using many different credentials you already have, like the SIM card in your phone or even your Apple or Google ID for authentication.

For businesses, this means reduced friction, streamlined connectivity for both customers and employees, and a boost in satisfaction as users experience seamless transitions across networks.

Wi-Fi 7 and wireless convergence in action

The convergence of Wi-Fi and 5G is not just theoretical—it’s already playing a critical role in various industries. Wi-Fi offload is a perfect example. When 5G signals are weak, such as inside buildings with signal-blocking materials, Wi-Fi 7 can offload traffic from the cellular network. This improves the user experience and reduces the load on 5G infrastructure, ensuring consistent connectivity for users while optimizing network performance.

With Wi-Fi 7, businesses can expect improved bandwidth, a cleaner spectrum, and a network architecture that supports high-density environments without bottlenecks. This is essential for modern applications like AR, IoT, and real-time data processing that are becoming increasingly vital across industries.

The business impact of Wi-Fi 7 and seamless roaming

Wi-Fi 7, combined with OpenRoaming and wireless convergence, delivers significant benefits across various business sectors:

• Retail: Seamless connectivity can drive better customer engagement, allowing users to automatically connect to in-store Wi-Fi for personalized offers, AR shopping experiences, or loyalty programs.
• Hospitality: High-quality Wi-Fi is one of the most sought-after amenities in hotels and resorts. With seamless roaming, guests can enjoy uninterrupted connectivity, enhancing their overall experience and improving satisfaction.
• Healthcare: Wi-Fi 7 supports mission-critical applications like telemedicine, real-time patient monitoring, and secure staff communications, ensuring reliable, low-latency connections that can be the difference between life and death in healthcare environments.
• Logistics: The ability to maintain stable connections across large facilities means that IoT devices, automated systems, and inventory tracking tools can function without interruption, improving operational efficiency and reducing downtime.

Supporting advanced applications with Wi-Fi 7

The next generation of business applications, from augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to 4K video streaming, will require networks that can handle vast amounts of data in real time. Wi-Fi 7 is built to support these high-bandwidth, low-latency applications, making it possible for businesses to adopt advanced technologies without sacrificing network performance.

For example, retailers can use AR to create immersive in-store experiences, while healthcare providers can rely on Wi-Fi 7 for telemedicine and real-time patient data. Similarly, manufacturing and logistics companies can leverage automation and IoT for more streamlined operations, knowing that their networks can handle the load.

Making business networks future-ready with Wi-Fi 7

One of the most significant advantages of Wi-Fi 7 is its ability to help businesses prepare for the future. As more devices and data-heavy applications come online, businesses will need networks that can scale accordingly. The improved capacity, efficiency, and support of Wi-Fi 7 for wireless convergence make it the ideal solution for businesses looking to stay ahead of the curve.

With the rise of technologies like IoT, 5G, and artificial intelligence (AI), businesses must ensure their infrastructure is capable of handling the growing data demands. Wi-Fi 7 offers the reliability and performance necessary to meet these challenges, preparing businesses for whatever the future holds.

A new standard for business connectivity

Wi-Fi 7 and OpenRoaming represent a fundamental shift in how businesses approach connectivity. By integrating Wi-Fi and 5G into a seamless, unified network, businesses can deliver the reliable, high-performance connectivity needed to drive customer engagement, improve operational efficiency, and support emerging technologies.

For businesses across industries, adopting Wi-Fi 7 is more than just an upgrade—it’s an investment in future-ready networks that will continue to deliver value as connectivity needs evolve.

Ready to learn more about how Wi-Fi 7 is shaping the future of business connectivity? Tune in to our Wi-Fi 7 podcast for an in-depth exploration of this revolutionary technology.

Tune in to our Wi-Fi 7 podcast for an in-depth

exploration of this revolutionary technology

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