BRUSSELS, June 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Europe is at risk of missing its
target(1) of delivering 1 Gbps connectivity across all EU households by 2030.
With the limited spectrum currently available for Wi-Fi(®), only about half of a
typical residential building will have gigabit coverage, according to a study
(https://www.wi-fi.org/file/wi-fi-spectrum-requirements-2024) by Plum
Consulting, commissioned by Wi-Fi Alliance(®).
European consumers depend on Wi-Fi for broadband connectivity. With European
governments prioritizing significant resources to expand broadband across the
continent, the shortage of Wi-Fi spectrum undermines gigabit infrastructure
investments and benefits.
Wi-Fi is the primary technology by which Europeans access broadband, but
connectivity is only as good as its narrowest bottleneck. With the rapidly
growing number of Wi-Fi devices and exponentially increasing data traffic,
congestion is degrading broadband connections - particularly in densely
populated areas where such connections are needed most. While other countries,
such as the U.S., South Korea, and Canada, have addressed this issue by enabling
(https://www.wi-fi.org/regulations-enabling-6-ghz-wi-fi) the latest generation
of Wi-Fi in the entire 6 GHz frequency band, European regulators continue to
delay this critical decision, depriving Europe of the latest Wi-Fi capabilities
and benefits.
"There is no plan B to support Wi-Fi in Europe," said Alex Roytblat, Vice
President of Regulatory Affairs at Wi-Fi Alliance. "As European regulators
continue to ponder the future of the 6 GHz band, this study provides clear
evidence that without Wi-Fi access to sufficient frequency spectrum, Europe's
connectivity goals are in jeopardy."
While the study focused on residential scenarios, it is evident that the Wi-Fi
spectrum shortfall similarly impacts enterprise deployments, reducing
connectivity and the industrial potential of broadband in Europe.
Download the Wi-Fi Spectrum Requirements study (https://www.wi-fi.org/file/wi-
fi-spectrum-requirements-2024) or learn more from our 6 GHz Wi-Fi Information
Center (https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/6-ghz-wi-fi-information-center).
About Wi-Fi Alliance(®) | www.wi-fi.org (http://www.wi-fi.org)
(http://www.wi-fi.org)Wi-Fi Alliance (http://www.wi-fi.org/)(®) (http://www.wi-
fi.org/) is the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi(®). Members
of our collaboration forum come together from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with
the shared vision to connect everyone and everything, everywhere, while
providing the best possible user experience. Since 2000, Wi-Fi Alliance has
completed more than 80,000 Wi-Fi certifications (http://www.wi-fi.org/product-
finder). The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED(TM) seal of approval designates products with proven
interoperability, backward compatibility, and the highest industry-standard
security protections in place. Today, Wi-Fi carries more than half of the
Internet's traffic in an ever-expanding variety of applications. Wi-Fi Alliance
continues to drive the adoption and evolution of Wi-Fi, which billions of people
rely on every day.
Media Contact:
Highwire PR for Wi-Fi Alliance
wi-fi@highwirepr.com
((1)) The EU's Gigabit Infrastructure Act and the Digital Decade Policy
Programme 2030 aim to ensure that a fixed Gigabit network (i.e., one providing
connectivity at a downlink speed of 1 Gbps) covers all EU households.
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