The Appetite For 802.11ac Standards

By Chris Hinsz, Product Manager, Enterprise Networks and Communications, Motorola Solutions

The appetite for wireless bandwidth is seemingly insatiable. Today employees typically tote a combination of smartphones, tablet computers and laptops – all which allow them to stay connected to the people and information they need to get their jobs done quickly and efficiently. As a result, there are more devices and more traffic pressuring the performance on wireless networks, and many enterprises are looking toward the capabilities that 802.11ac standards will bring. For enterprises, 802.11ac offers a substantial step up from the previous version. The benefits include carrier off-loading, reduced choke points and the ability to better serve employees and customers. However, there may still be questions for VARs – should they wait until the second generation is available? Is there a need today and what type of management may be required with this greater bandwidth? This bylined article will discuss the next evolution in the wireless technology and the issues facing VARs as they consider these solutions.

WLAN technology has seen an explosive rise in the past five years, with an increasing number of devices becoming wirelessly enabled. As part of this growth, the uses of wireless technology and the expectations of its availability have also grown. The number of connected devices a single person might carry has expanded to include numerous phones and tablets. With this increase, growing pains are evident on the infrastructure side as it strives to provide the demanding level of capacity for today’s connected employee or customer.

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