It’s an thrilling time on the earth of Wi-Fi. The Federal Communication Fee (FCC) not too long ago accredited 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 have the ability to take full benefit of the 6 GHz band to assist 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 instances to keep away from interference with different operators, resembling fastened satellite tv for pc and broadcast companies. To allow normal energy use within the 6 GHz band, there was a have to agree on governance over how the 6 GHz spectrum is used.
The current choice by the FCC to approve AFC now offers us the flexibility to deploy 6 GHz utilizing normal energy for indoor, out of doors, and exterior antenna use instances. It is a important improvement that enables us to make the most of all that the 6 GHz band has to supply. And with america and the FCC taking the lead, different international locations 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 provide AFC as a service. This AFC service will dictate how a lot energy an unlicensed 6 GHz-capable system can transmit on any given channel, or whether or not the system might be allowed to ship in any respect. With out AFC, incumbents may face interference, which might degrade their capacity to speak throughout 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 assist GPS/GNSS or use geo-location propagation methods for location dedication. Utilizing this location information, the AFC system queries an FCC database to determine incumbents within the neighborhood of the 6 GHz sign. If incumbents exist, the AFC will mechanically block sure channels or scale back energy to components of the spectrum.
The Cisco AFC resolution interfaces with AFC cloud companies, per FCC necessities, and offers directors with granular visibility into the accessible spectrum and channels, in addition to the facility allocation for every.
AFC is easy to configure through the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Wi-fi Controller or with the Meraki dashboard.
Determine 1. AFC standing monitoring on the Meraki dashboard.
Determine 2. Normal-power configuration within the Cisco Catalyst 9800 Wi-fi Controller.
The necessity for traditional energy
Why would anybody want normal energy? There are a number of causes, however the principle function is to broadcast Wi-Fi within the 6 GHz band with extra energy in each out of doors and indoor areas. This consists of indoor places with lofty ceilings and huge open environments. Moreover, out of doors areas can now broadcast within the 6 GHz band, which is simply allowed in standard-power mode. The general purpose is to supply dependable, quick, and uninterrupted companies to customers.
Let’s speak about a number of examples. Take into consideration out of doors areas at resorts and sports activities stadiums and the way they join visitors to point-of-sale techniques, ticketing, and extra. One other instance is in manufacturing. Think about a manufacturing facility flooring with automated guided autos (AGVs) and autonomous cell robots (AMRs) linked reliably over distance.
To be taught extra about 6 GHz Wi-Fi in manufacturing, make sure that to register for this upcoming webinar.
Healthcare is one other instance—huge buildings with lengthy hallways and hovering atriums in addition to massive out of doors areas. Docs, 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 lengthen 6 GHz Wi-Fi throughout our campuses,” mentioned Ed Vanderpool, Senior Community Supervisor at Adventist Well being. “This may 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 essential information recordsdata, and dependable entry to cloud purposes. With regards to Wi-Fi and the current 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 lengthen 5G with highly effective and dependable Wi-Fi when and the place accessible. Likewise, retail, schooling, authorities, good buildings, good cities, and extra can benefit from normal energy 6 GHz wi-fi to enhance connectivity and ship purposes at increased speeds with enhanced safety, each indoor and out of doors. 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 available on the market, and as we see Wi-Fi 7 requirements emerge, we’ll proceed to achieve much more capabilities to assist a rising variety of use instances. Wi-Fi 7 builds on the work we have now executed 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 group members and fellow wi-fi product entrepreneurs, Stefani Johnson, talked about in her current weblog publish that, “Wi-Fi 7 presents a possibility to land an exceptionally differentiated buyer expertise, elevated income and effectivity, and diminished 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] affords tremendous low latency, extra strong connection, increased spectral effectivity, higher interference mitigation, extra power-saving methods, higher roaming experiences, and elevated safety.”
With an unprecedented variety of units connecting to right this moment’s wi-fi networks, together with anticipated development, we’re seeing a transformational shift in connectivity throughout the locations we work, store, and stay. It’s on this uber-connected wireless-first world that 6 GHz Wi-Fi and the following technology of purposes are driving a brand new wi-fi actuality.
We have now AFC now, it’s time to start out dreaming up new use instances. Have a look at your wants, consider your community, and see how one can profit from standard-power Wi-Fi 6E.
To be taught extra concerning the Cisco Wi-Fi 6E portfolio, go to the Cisco Wi-fi product web page
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