The world's first Wi-Fi 7 access points with open-source code were unveiled at the Indian Mobile Congress

The leading Indian high-tech company and provider of integrated communication products and next-generation solutions, HFCL Limited, in collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies Inc., has launched the world's first Wi-Fi 7 access points with open-source code at the Indian Mobile Congress in New Delhi on October 1, 2022.

HFCL has become the first OEM manufacturer to launch Wi-Fi 7 access points with open-source code based on IEEE 802.11be — a revolutionary Wi-Fi technology designed to provide extremely high throughput (EHT), higher spectral efficiency, better interference suppression, and support for real-time applications (RTA). Wi-Fi 7 employs faster 320 MHz connections and 4kQAM, multiple connections with multi-channel operation, and adaptive connections for adaptive interference exclusion, providing all user capabilities while ensuring better energy efficiency. Compared to all previous Wi-Fi standards, Wi-Fi 7 will offer a significant technological leap, delivering an exciting experience to users and unlocking more powerful digital possibilities worldwide. HFCL's Wi-Fi 7 access points support peak data transfer rates of over 10 Gbps and provide latency under 2 ms, compared to 5 Gbps and 10 ms for current Wi-Fi 6 products.

HFCL's Wi-Fi 7 product lineup will allow communication operators, internet providers, systems integrators, and network administrators to offer critical real-time application services and provide a superior user experience. The new Wi-Fi 7 product portfolio includes a wide range of dual-band and tri-band options for indoor and outdoor use.

All Wi-Fi 7 options are powered by open-source software, making them the industry's first Wi-Fi 7 access points that support open standards. Open standards promote disaggregated Wi-Fi systems in the form of free open-source software, providing extended global connectivity capabilities and guaranteed multi-vendor compatibility.

Upon launching this revolutionary product lineup, Mr. Mahendra Nahata, Managing Director of HFCL, said, "We take great pride in being the first Indian company to launch the Wi-Fi 7 product lineup and the first in the world to offer open-source code. Our Wi-Fi 7 portfolio is based on the latest Qualcomm® Networking Pro Wi-Fi 7 series platforms and offers better features than any commercial products available on the market today. We are deeply grateful to Qualcomm Technologies for their close collaboration and support that made this possible. In anticipation of the 5G revolution in India and worldwide, our Wi-Fi 7 launch is a revolutionary step that helps us provide an incredible experience for our customers worldwide and positions India at the forefront of global technology leadership."

Nahata added, "The launch of this product lineup will encompass several industrial applications, such as Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial IoT (IIoT) applications, supporting advancements in cloud/edge computing, cloud gaming, and other xR-based applications. Extremely low latency and high throughput offer numerous use cases in the medical field, especially when bringing medical facilities to remote locations. It is designed to bring us one step closer to the Metaverse and reduce network congestion by improving connectivity capabilities in high-density areas and areas with overlapping networks. Our investments in research and development and our focus on continuous innovation have allowed us to introduce this futuristic product to users worldwide. This also aligns with our strategy of launching new products, attracting new customers, and exploring new regions in the coming years."

The launch of Wi-Fi 7 will primarily complement the deployment of new 5G technology in the country, especially in indoor coverage. Furthermore, the technology with higher throughput, reliable network performance, and lower latency will facilitate the development of various applications. For enterprises, Wi-Fi 7 technology will benefit Internet of Things (IoT) and IIoT applications such as surveillance, industrial automation, remote control, AV/VR/XR, and other video-based applications. It will also increase the number of remote offices, real-time collaboration opportunities, online video conferencing, and achieve various cloud/edge computing and cloud gaming milestones.

"Wi-Fi 7 offers many features that can be used to provide extreme speeds, high throughput, and low latency to support next-generation application and service needs. Managing and optimizing different available spectrum ranges is arguably a distinctive feature of Wi-Fi 7. Together with 5G, this will help us build a truly digital India with inclusive and equitable socio-economic development in urban and rural areas alike. In the years to come, both of these technologies will underpin a very wide range of use cases, driving innovation and growth across all industries, sectors, and areas of human activity. We are proud to have the privilege of working with HFCL on yet another lineup of Made-in-India products," said Rajen Vagadia, Vice President of Qualcomm India Private Limited and President of Qualcomm India and SAARC.