After trickling out a handful of modems and WiFi access points built around the new WiFi 6 standard last year, CommScope Tuesday announced six new WiFi 6 access points carrying its Ruckus brand.
"We've been shipping Wi-Fi 6 for almost two years, but with this announcement, we are taking the technology mainstream,” Bart Giordano, senior VP of product management for CommScope’s Ruckus portfolio, told CRN. "We're addressing a broad swath of the market now."
Also read: Unto This 10G and 5G World Comes WiFi 6
Developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the new 802.11ax standard, what we call WiFi 6, is an improvement on the fifth-generation 802.11ac standard. WiFi 6 backers say the technology doesn’t just improve speed and latency, enabling users to fully realize the multi-Gigabit speeds of their future network connections. WiFi 6 is also a major advancement in how data is distributed in the home, enabling routers to handle more devices at once, more efficiently.
The new Ruckus WiFi 6 portfolio includes the following:
> R850: WiFi 6 8x8:8 indoor access point with 5.9 Gbps speeds and embedded IoT.
> R750: WiFi 6 4x4:4 indoor access point with 3.5 Gbps speeds and embedded IoT.
> R650: WiFi 6 4x4:4 indoor access point with 3 Gbps speeds and embedded IoT. This addition upgrades the popular R600 series to include WiFi 6.
>R550: WiFi 6 2x2:2 indoor access point with 1.8 Gbps speeds and embedded IoT.
>T750: WiFi 6 4x4:4 outdoor access point with 3.5 Gbps speeds and embedded IoT. CommScope says it’s the industry’s first outdoor Wi-Fi 6 Certified AP
>T750SE: a WiFi 6 4x4:4 outdoor access point with 3.5 Gbps speeds, embedded IoT, and sectorized antennas. The T750SE delivers bandwidth to seating in stadiums and other large venues.
The R650 and T750 began shipping in Q1 2020, while the R550 and R850 will begin shipping in Q2 2020. The T750SE will begin shipping in Q3 2020.
