A Q&A with Khushboo Kalyani, Product Manager, Wireless Connectivity and Cellular Test Systems, LitePoint

Q1: You’ve been representing LitePoint at various Wi-Fi industry events. What is Wi-Fi 7 bringing to the table that’s new and interesting?

Khushboo: At LitePoint, we expect to start seeing Wi-Fi 7 used more widely in IoT applications, which will be a key growth driver, in addition to more conventional uses in clients such as smartphones, access points, gateways, laptops and tablets. These emerging IoT uses cases could include Wi-Fi 7 adoption in devices such as smart TV speakers, home door locks and other smart home sensors.

Today, there are different technologies used by IoT devices. Approximately a third of them operate on low-power long range wide area network technologies like Sigfox, LoRa, HaLow, NB-IoT, CAT-M and such. Another third uses wireless personal area network (WPAN) technologies like Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-Wave or similar. The remaining third or less use Wi-Fi. Based on what I’m hearing from customers, I think people are concluding that Wi-Fi can easily – and equally – serve the IoT category.

That is especially true among applications that are latency-sensitive, which will benefit from Wi-Fi 7’s new low-data-rate modulation coding schemes, MCS14 and MCS15. These schemes were introduced to increase reliability and maximize transmission range in the 6GHz band for low-power IoT devices.

Q2: What are the broader implications for IoT adoption of Wi-Fi 7?

Khushboo: In many applications today, Wi-Fi is already omnipresent. That has sparked a larger conversation on the adoption of Wi-Fi across IoT devices, where they can leverage existing Wi-Fi infrastructure and simplify deployment within industrial, home and enterprise applications. This, in turn, will facilitate scalability and minimize interoperability issues.

Key chipset companies around the globe are already leading the way with low-power W-Fi solutions.

Q3: How are these emerging Wi-Fi 7 chipsets for IoT applications keeping a tight rein on power budgets?

Khushboo: IoT devices do not require a constant active internet connection. With that in mind, Wi-Fi 6 introduced a feature called target wake time (TWT). This feature allows devices to negotiate when and how often they will wake up to send or receive data, significantly reducing power consumption by minimizing unnecessary wakeups. Although the feature was introduced in Wi-Fi 6, we expect it to take off in Wi-Fi 7 and beyond.

Additionally, chipsets can implement custom low-power listening modes, which enhance efficiency when listening for network activity and further reduces power consumption when monitoring signals.

Q4: What are some of the underlying technical advantages of Wi-Fi 7?

Khushboo: Three features stand out for me. First, is the new 4096-QAM modulation scheme, which allows for higher data rates by packing more bits together but requires higher signal-to-noise ratio or clean-channel conditions and increases radio complexity.

Another feature that is more functional is multi-link operation, which allows more efficient use of spectrum. This feature was not available in previous generations of Wi-Fi and will truly improve practical Wi-Fi deployment and can be used in Wi-Fi 7 and beyond.

For me, this is a differentiating feature compared to previous-generation technology, because it allows you to aggregate multiple channels, whether it’s a 2.4GHz, a 5GHz or a 6GHz channel, or whatever combination of spectrum you have available. This allows you to do a few of things:

• Send different data streams across channels to increase overall throughput
• Send the same data stream across multiple channels to increase redundancy
• Perform dynamic channel switching in real-time to improve the opportunities for high-priority transmission.

The other thing multi-link operation enables is a more optimized use of the 6GHz band, which has not been adopted uniformly across all countries for unlicensed use. Now, whichever geographic region you’re serving, Wi-Fi 7’s multi-link operation will allow you to fully utilize your available spectrum efficiently.

The third important feature is preamble puncturing, a very useful capability that enables efficient spectrum utilization. It is particularly beneficial in the 5GHz band where an incumbent would otherwise prevent the entire channel’s use. By allowing transmissions to occur even in the presence of narrowband interference, preamble puncturing enhances overall throughput and spectral efficiency.

Q5: With the proliferation of Wi-Fi 7, what do customers need to know about test requirements?

Khushboo: What is driving change is the need for 160MHz and 320MHz test capability. In the past, 20MHz, 40MHz and 80MHz were the channel bandwidths available in the 2.4GHz and 5GHz spectrum and were deployed in a typical enterprise access point or home set-up.

With Wi-Fi 7, despite the lack of practical deployment, customers are still eager to highlight the capability of 320MHz or 160MHz Wi-Fi across six or seven channels. For that reason, they need equipment with the capability to test that much bandwidth either during R&D or as part of manufacturing or design validation testing. LitePoint has the equipment capable of testing with supreme accuracy at 320MHz and 160MHz.

Customers also need equipment with excellent error vector magnitude (EVM) performance that is at least 8dB to 10dB better than the device’s performance. This is to ensure that the tester does not introduce any inaccuracies to the device measurement.

Another critical aspect to test is UL-OFDMA. For this feature to work accurately, client devices must be synchronized to avoid interference and align correctly within the allocated subcarriers. From a testing perspective, this involves measuring carrier frequency offset and transmission timing accuracy to ensure synchronization within a specific tolerance.

Another important aspect to validate is spectrum mask for a PPDU containing punctured channel(s). The IEEE spec has defined a definitive list of puncturing patterns for OFDMA and non-OFDMA transmissions based on PPDU and puncturing bandwidth. When testing this, the idea is to measure the leakage from the occupied subchannel(s) into the punctured subchannel(s) to ensure it is low and will not cause any interference.

In addition to all the standard tests on power, transmit center frequency leakage, receiver sensitivity, spectral flatness and more must be performed to ensure accurate calibration and transmit and receiver RF parametric verification.

Q6: How is LitePoint engineering your test equipment to keep ahead of customer requirements? As they integrate multiple wireless standards into their chipsets, for example, are they expecting a similar level of integration with your test platforms?

Khushboo:  We have seen integrated chipsets and modules supporting Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for a while now in the market and recently some chipset companies have announced solutions that integrate Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology as well into the mix. From a test perspective each of these technologies needs to be tested well, as their underlying implementation is different thus requiring different RF PHY characteristics to be validated, they operate on different frequency ranges, bandwidths and thus they may have different test times.

While integrated chipsets are advancing, the choice of test equipment depends on many factors, since the requirements vary significantly between R&D to production. As an example, generally R&D & design validation groups tend to have dedicated teams specifically focusing on characterization and validation of a specific technology which requires purpose-built testers with advanced features and accuracy. QA teams on the other hand may find some value in an integrated platform as their test plan includes end product performance validation, interoperability tests or coexistence tests as some of these technologies share antennas and common frequency bands. If you look at manufacturing there KPI’s are centered around equipment reliability, longevity, yield, throughput, support for customized automation tool, cost of test and test times as they can vary drastically for each of these technologies. As you can see there are multiple factors that play a role in designing a tester and the requirements vary based on the product development stage.  So honestly there is no one-size tester that fits all and hence we work closely with our customers to see what makes sense for them in terms of technology, cost and more.

Q7: In closing, what sets LitePoint apart from other companies offering Wi-Fi test?

Khushboo: Our motto is “simplifying test through innovation”.  As each generation becomes more complex, we strive to provide a simplified testing solution so you can focus on your product. We achieve this by building high-performance test systems and offering strong, continued customer support.

LitePoint’s comprehensive availability of automation solutions, the most extensive in the industry, sets us apart. Our IQfact+ software tool is known in the industry for simplicity and ease of use. Additionally, we’ve been the first movers in test to offer a fully integrated non-signaling solution for every Wi-Fi standard that’s come along. Our close collaboration with leading chipset vendors enables us to develop turnkey, chipset-specific solutions that meet your testing needs effectively.

AFC is a spectrum usage coordination system that manages spectrum use in the 6 GHz frequency band, particularly for unlicensed use by Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 access points, or APs. Our video series, 3 for 3, provides 3 answers for 3 pressing questions about trends in wireless test. In this video, Yuka Muto explores what AFC is, why it is important, and how it is deployed.

Wi-Fi HaLow is an exciting technology to address application use-cases such as security cameras, industrial monitoring, and a wide range of other indoor and outdoor IoT deployments. Our video series, 3 for 3, provides 3 answers for 3 pressing questions about trends in wireless test. In this video, Adam Smith discusses what is unique about Wi-Fi HaLow, where it is useful to deploy, and wireless test considerations for Wi-Fi HaLow devices.

In the ever-evolving realm of wireless technology, Wi-Fi 7 emerges as a transformative force, poised to redefine our experience with connectivity. A recent webinar, “Wi-Fi Deep Dive,” hosted by RCR Wireless News, shed light on this groundbreaking development by unveiling the capabilities and challenges that Wi-Fi 7 brings to the table. LitePoint’s Adam Smith joined a panel of connectivity experts for a look at the state of standards, products and use cases.

The Leap to Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi 7, the successor to Wi-Fi 6/6E, is set to revolutionize wireless networks with its promise to increase throughput and process more data simultaneously. Wi-Fi 7 introduces features that exponentially improve performance and deployment flexibility. But as chip and system capabilities continue their rapid evolution, there is far less room for error. Performance metrics have never been as critical. Panelists shared several key points about this new technology and the excitement building around it:

• Increased Reliability and Reduced Latency: Wi-Fi 7 introduces Multi-Link Operation (MLO), allowing devices to transmit data over multiple frequencies simultaneously, significantly enhancing reliability and reducing latency. This is crucial in today’s digital environment where speed and stable connections are essential.

• Faster Data Speed: Wi-Fi 7 features 320-MHz channels and 4096-QAM modulation, pushing data transmission rates further to make Wi-Fi faster and more efficient.

• Benefits to Manufacturers and Consumers: For manufacturers, Wi-Fi 7 enables devices with superior connectivity, which is a significant selling point in the competitive tech market. For consumers, enhanced reliability and reduced latency translate to smoother, faster online experiences, be it streaming, gaming or general browsing. This can lead to greater product satisfaction, and, by extension, stronger brand loyalty.

• Simplified Adoption in Products: The adoption rate of Wi-Fi 7 is expected to vary between enterprise and consumer segments. While Wi-Fi 6 deployment is challenging because it needs to coexist with legacy Wi-Fi networks, Wi-Fi 7 introduces features to make it simple to overlay a new network in the presence of a legacy network.

Technical Breakthroughs and Challenges

Wi-Fi 7 offers a substantial improvement in speed over Wi-Fi 6/6E. It utilizes 320-MHz channels compared to the 160-MHz channels of Wi-Fi 6, effectively doubling the data transfer rate in each access opportunity. This enhancement is particularly advantageous for applications requiring consistent, high-speed data transfer, such as video streaming, gaming and virtual reality. With Wi-Fi 7, users can expect smoother experiences with higher image quality, as the faster speeds reduce the need to compromise on quality due to bandwidth constraints. This results in fewer disruptions like dropped packets or visible artifacts, offering a more seamless and engaging user experience.

Despite its technical advancements, the implementation of Wi-Fi 7 faces several challenges:

• Device Interoperability: One of the key challenges is ensuring interoperability between Wi-Fi 7 devices. This includes the need for new device hardware to support the higher frequency and modulation schemes of Wi-Fi 7.

• Network Management Complexities: Managing a network that supports Wi-Fi 7 is more complex than Wi-Fi 6/6E. This includes handling the increased data rates and ensuring network infrastructure can effectively support higher speeds without compromising stability.

• Interference Management: With Wi-Fi 7’s higher frequencies and broader channels, it becomes more critical to ensure that Wi-Fi signals do not interfere with other devices and networks, especially in densely populated areas or environments with many wireless devices.

These challenges are pivotal for the seamless integration of Wi-Fi 7 into existing infrastructures and its widespread adoption across both professional and personal settings.

What’s Next: Enterprise vs. Consumer Adoption

The adoption of Wi-Fi 7 varies between enterprise and consumer segments. Because Wi-Fi 7 effectively handles congestion and interference, connectivity improves in areas with densely packed devices or overlapping networks (ideal for enterprise applications or larger venues).

While enterprises are eager to leverage Wi-Fi 7 for enhanced network capabilities, consumer devices are only gradually adapting to these higher standards. This is likely to cause a short-term discrepancy in adoption rates that presents an obstacle to realizing the full potential of Wi-Fi 7. The Wi-Fi 7 panel underscored the role of enterprises in driving Wi-Fi 7 adoption, hinting at a future where this technology becomes ubiquitous in both professional and personal settings.

The Cutting Edge is Always Moving

Wi-Fi 7 is poised to drive tangible changes in network speeds, reduced interference and new ways to reduce network latency. Boosting speed and increasing resiliency is critical as the world works to connect more people, places and things. Wi-Fi 7 is more flexible than its predecessor and supports more connections and high-bandwidth applications such as improved cloud gaming and AR/VR applications that require high throughput and low latency.

To learn more about Wi-Fi 7 and how its advanced features and capabilities are set to enhance the way we connect, work and interact, check LitePoint’s 3 for 3 blog here.

O-RAN brings revolution to the wireless industry by introducing openness, interoperability, and disaggregation in network architectures. Our video series, 3 for 3, provides 3 answers for 3 pressing questions about trends in wireless test. LitePoint’s Middle Wen discusses O-RAN (Open Radio Access Network) and explores its unique functionalities that make it different from traditional RAN. He also talks about the benefits of O-RAN and the advantages of O-RAN RU testing using LitePoint’s advanced solutions.

Contact us to learn more about LitePoint’s advanced O-RAN RU testing solutions

Ultra-Wideband (UWB) has been gaining popularity since major smartphone makers adopted it as the next-generation, indoor positioning wireless standard, starting back in 2019. Since then, there have been flurries of product announcements, such as UWB tags to assist finding lost keys, and news of novel applications, such as real-time ball location tracking at FIFA World Cup 2022. However, the question remains whether UWB is just hype or here to stay as a default wireless standard like Wi-Fi. We will explore the potential of UWB technology in mission-critical applications such as keyless car entry and digital payment, and the challenges it faces in wider adoption.

UWB in Keyless Car Entry

In 2022, Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) announced that it has adopted UWB as a complementary technology to Bluetooth^® Low Energy for secure, keyless entry in its Digital Key Release 3 specification.  While Bluetooth^® Low Energy-based key fobs and apps have been widely adopted, concerns about possible relay-attacks have been raised. In a viral video, a Tesla was remotely unlocked and driven off with a laptop with an attached Bluetooth^® relay device, and it was explained that this security vulnerability can affect any Bluetooth^® Low Energy-enabled keyless entry vehicles. UWB, which relies on its nanosecond pulses to provide centimeter-level accuracy distance measurements, can ensure that the signal is coming from a legitimate, physically-present source, not from a boosted, relayed signal. With UWB providing added security, Bluetooth^® Low Energy and UWB can work together to provide a reliable and secure keyless entry for ever-security conscious automotive industries.

ABI Research (2022)

UWB in Wireless Payment

As the smartphone attach rate keeps rising, UWB is also being considered as an alternative or complimentary technology to Near Field Communication (NFC). Contactless payment has been steadily gaining acceptance, as more smart devices such as smartphones and smart watches have been shipped with NFC, now reaching more than a 50% attach rate in smartphones. COVID-19 in the last 3 years has accelerated the adoption of contactless payment, both NFC- and QR code-based, to avoid handling of physical cash and credit cards. UWB can advance contactless payment even further; UWB can revolutionize the payment industry, enabling consumers to pay for the groceries and unlock their cars, all without taking out a credit card, a key or a phone. With its centimeter-level accuracy, UWB can ensure you are paying for your own groceries, not for the person in the next checkout lane.

Bluetooth^® and UWB

While UWB provides unparalleled accuracy and security for mission critical applications, Bluetooth^® is still a practical option for some location-based services. Bluetooth^® SIG is exploring new ways to improve distance measurement accuracy and security such as Channel Sounding (CS), previously known as High Accuracy Distance Measurement (HADM). In CS, Bluetooth^® signals of two or more frequencies are used to calculate the distance between two Bluetooth^® devices based on the observed relative phase differences of those signals. Unlike the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) method, previously used for Bluetooth^® distance measurement, which relies on the relative power level of the received signal, it is less susceptible to relay attacks and can provide better, meter-level accuracy. Such accuracy could have been previously achieved with multiple antennas, with triangulation, but the single-antenna implementation of CS is attractive in terms of reducing hardware cost. Furthermore, one can use a metric called Normalized Attack Detector (NAD) in Bluetooth^® Channel Sounding to identify and quantify sudden changes in the RF environment. Comparing the received packet against the expected packet signal, a NAD metric value is calculated as the probability that an attacker is present. Given its 100% attach rate to smartphones, when CS is finalized and adopted, it will likely enable many real time location services (RTLS) that require distance measurements within a few meters, such as indoor navigation, asset and personnel tracking. However, UWB will likely continue playing the primary role, for mission critical applications that demand better accuracy and security such as contactless payment, keyless car access, and digital hotel room key.

Challenges Faced by UWB

UWB’s 500 MHz or wider bandwidth inversely produces the nanosecond pulses that uniquely deliver the unprecedented distance measurement accuracy. However, the wideband width also leads to more complexity in the design and higher power consumption. It is more regulated for emission limits as it operates in the licensed band per Part 15 of FCC Rules than its narrow-band counterparts that operate in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz band. To mitigate these challenges, location and security applications will keep relying on some of the initial discovery and synchronization on narrow band wireless standards such as Bluetooth^® to offload communication, reserving UWB usage for mission-critical distance ranging. Rather than competing for convergence, wireless standards must collaborate with each other in providing the best user experience for a given use case. In other words, we will likely see more, not fewer, wireless standards integration in smartphones and cars, and UWB will likely become the main source of the precise, secure location-based communication. For that, UWB devices’ utmost priority will be accuracy quality.

Conclusion

UWB technology has the potential to revolutionize mission-critical applications such as keyless car entry and digital payment, providing unparalleled accuracy and security. While other wireless standards like Bluetooth^® remain practical options for some location-based services and a critical partner in offloading traffic, UWB will likely play the primary role in security-centric applications. Despite some of the challenges UWB faces, collaboration with other wireless standards can ultimately help overcome these challenges to provide the best, integrated wireless experience for users.

Wi-Fi 7 will be the fastest Wi-Fi generation, with throughput higher than 30 Gbps and very low latency. LitePoint is launching a new video series, 3 for 3, providing 3 answers for 3 pressing questions about trends in wireless test. To kick us off, Adam Smith, Director of Marketing at LitePoint, examines what changes Wi-Fi 7 brings, new features in the technology, and what you need to know from a test perspective.

3 for 3: Wi-Fi 7, A New Era of Connectivity – LitePoint