Vox partnered with Samsung and Ruckus Networks to put the WiFi-7 enabled Galaxy S24 through its paces to learn about the latest generation WiFi benefits that can be applied to business networks today

JOHANNESBURG – As the world navigates what can best be described as the most exhilarating burst of technology innovation in human history, Vox ran a test with Samsung’s latest device and Ruckus Networks to demonstrate the revolutionary power of WiFi 7, as it works to refine solutions to empower businesses with future-proofed networking capabilities.

While not mainstream yet, WiFi 7 blows the speeds of current WiFi generations out of the water, surpassing WiFi 6 by a factor of three and WiFi 5 by a factor of 10. However, it is not the speed that is the most exciting, says Product Manager for WiFi at Vox, Craig Blignaut. “In fact, for now it isn’t about the speed as there are a number of factors in SA – which will change in the coming months and years – that hold this factor back. The excitement comes from the cutting-edge technology, including multi-link operation and advanced error correction that enables seamless connectivity for a large number of devices.

“There is a radically reduced latency and markedly improved robustness, with less downtime and disturbance. The test enabled us to get a taste of the immense potential of the technology. Let’s be clear, use cases will still emerge but WiFi 7 will power bandwidth-intensive applications such as 8k streaming, virtual and augmented reality and online gaming. For businesses, it opens up the possibility of radically reduced latency and increased capacity which will revolutionise wireless networks.”

This is one of the main drivers behind the WiFi-7 test on the Samsung device, as Vox’s highly successful partnership with Ruckus Networks is designed to build products and solutions that will radically improve their customers’ current connectivity. This is to future-proof businesses to withstand the influx of WiFi 7 devices and applications in the not-so-distant future, which will remove the need for further network upgrades down the line, explains Blignaut. “In other words, the reliability and robustness of Ruckus Networks’ infrastructure means Vox can effectively deliver tomorrow’s innovation to businesses today.”

Ruckus Networks provides networking solutions, specifically wireless access points and related products. Their products are designed to provide reliable, high-performance, and secure wireless connectivity for various environments. Samsung’s Galaxy S24 is one of a few devices in the world that are already WiFi 7 enabled, and so by collaborating, the teams were able to uncover valuable insights.

“Bandwidth from a speed capacity is currently limited in SA for a number of reasons, but this will change, no doubt. But where the WiFi industry is going is towards managing capacity better – in other words, shared bandwidth infrastructure and improved reliability. Automation cannot afford any drop in connectivity – it needs excellent throughput. There’s reduced interference and this is very important when we consider the new frequency bands that have been released,” explains Blignaut.

“This is the backdrop to the successful test. It was about testing tomorrow’s capability today, and then, equipped with our Ruckus partnership, to bring that robustness to businesses,” he explains. Elaborating more on their test, Blignaut explains that outside of the speed consideration, latency drops from today’s general discussion of 1ms to a latency of 0.1ms, on top of an ability to maintain consistency.

“In five years, WiFi 7 will be highly relevant. The question then becomes: If you are an organisation that needs to invest in networking infrastructure today, are you going to invest in technology that is made for today but will be irrelevant in a few years?

“Or will you invest in technology that is relevant for today, fully optimised and capable of handling the massive evolution that WiFi 7 will bring in a few years’ time, while still enjoying future benefits now, such as unparalleled robustness, vastly increased secure and seamless connections, and radically reduced latency with less disturbance? This is why we did the test and why we continue to innovate with our partners,” says Blignaut.