How do businesses benefit from combined 5G and Wi-Fi?

Early adoption of 5G and Wi-Fi 6/6E technologies can give enterprises a competitive edge in their digital transformation journey.

As enterprises of all shapes and sizes increasingly rely on data-intensive applications and IoT devices, legacy networks may struggle to keep up with the growing demand. To address these issues, upgrading to 5G or Wi-Fi 6/6E can significantly benefit businesses. These technologies complement each other and offer various advantages that can improve the efficiency and productivity of indoor networks. Enterprises that require greater control over their networks can choose to deploy private networks. This will enable them to isolate it from the public network but also to address requirements for higher availability, lower latency, and enhanced privacy (keeping the data on-premise and compliant with data regulations).

Let’s unwrap some of these benefits:

Superior Data Speeds

Speedtest Intelligence data shows that in Q2 2023, the median 5G download speed was 201.08, which is 7.25 times better than 4G, while the WiFi 6 download speed of 267.47 Mbps was 2.34 times better than WiFi 5. This allows enterprises to transfer and access large files, videos, and other data-intensive applications faster, positively impacting decision-making and collaboration.



Lower Latency

Both 5G and Wi-Fi reduce latency, which is the delay between sending and receiving data. Lower latency allows for seamless interactions and enhances user experiences, and is crucial for real-time applications like video conferencing, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR).



Increased Device Capacity

Allowing more devices to connect simultaneously without compromising performance is especially important in modern workplaces with a growing number of connected devices and the proliferation of IoT devices. For instance, between 256 (Wi-Fi 4) and 2,007 (Wi-Fi 6) devices can be associated with an access point at any time, while 5G can support connection density of up to 1 million per km.



Enhanced Mobility

Mobile technologies (such as 4G/LTE and 5G) are better suited to OT network requirements of high volume, high reliability, mobility, and always-on operations. In time, 5G will replace some of the wired connections to allow for more flexibility. 



Improved Reliability

5G and Wi-Fi technologies are designed with redundancy and failover mechanisms, ensuring reliable connectivity even in high-demand situations. This stability is vital for business-critical applications like cloud-based services but also and can have wider reaching implications. Ekahau’s survey of 3,000 Wi-Fi professionals on the impact of Wi-Fi outage on businesses found it has most impact on employee connectivity and productivity (52%), negative customer experience (22%), and WiFi connected hardware or software manufacturing malfunctions (13%).

IoT Enablement

The combination of 5G and Wi-Fi enables businesses to deploy and manage many IoT devices more efficiently. This can lead to improved automation, streamlined processes, and data-driven insights for better decision-making.

Advanced Analytics

The combination of 5G, Wi-Fi, and IoT devices generates vast amounts of data that enterprises can use to gain valuable insights into their operations. Businesses can leverage this data to optimise processes, personalise customer experiences, and make data-driven decisions.

Early adoption of 5G and Wi-Fi 6/6E technologies can give enterprises a competitive edge in their digital transformation journey. By prioritizing problem-solving over technology and focusing on use cases, businesses of all types and sizes can achieve their objectives. Additionally, private mobile networks become increasingly important for organisations with growing data and security needs as they cater to their specific Industry 4.0 goals.

Author: Sylwia Kechiche, Principal Analyst, Ookla