WBA Identifies Wi-Fi as Potential Core for 6G

The widespread availability of Wi-Fi technology renders it an ideal candidate for inclusion in forthcoming 6G standards, according to the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA). The industry body asserts that the next generation of connectivity will fail to achieve its objectives without the integration of Wi-Fi.

The WBA has called upon the broader telecommunications industry to explore methods for Wi-Fi to operate in conjunction with mobile networks to ensure ubiquitous coverage. Its president and CEO, Tiago Rodrigues, characterized Wi-Fi as fundamental to achieving these coverage ambitions, citing indoor connectivity as a primary example.

The association recently published a report explaining why it believes Wi-Fi should be a core element of 6G and outlining several ways to integrate it. Rodrigues claims that this approach offers a practical framework capable of reducing both operational costs and technological complexity.

Convergence remains a central tenet of the WBA’s strategic outlook. The alliance argues that Wi-Fi could be essential for delivering the consistent user experience and deep indoor penetration specified in the ITU’s IMT-2030 framework for 6G, given its status as the dominant internal connectivity technology. Consequently, the industry body advocates for modifications to access models to facilitate agnostic configurations capable of executing on either Wi-Fi or mobile networks.

Furthermore, the WBA maintains that any convergence between Wi-Fi and 6G must address commercial factors, including infrastructure costs, user experience, automation, and new service opportunities. It stated that such an approach would yield benefits for both network operators and hardware manufacturers.

Maintaining a focus on cost-efficiency would also mitigate barriers that the WBA noted have previously hindered the adoption of convergence initiatives involving Wi-Fi, 4G, and 5G. Achieving this integration could have significant implications for autonomous networks, industrial communications, emergency services, and various digital logistics applications, the WBA stated.