Wi-Fi 7 Speeds Near 10 Gbps as the 6 GHz Spectrum Returns to the Spotlight

As the global communications industry accelerates toward the Wi-Fi 7 and 6G era, the pursuit of higher transmission speeds continues unabated. Recently, U.S. operator Spectrum (Charter Communications) achieved nearly 10 Gbps Wi-Fi 7 connectivity at the SCTE TechExpo 25 in Washington by combining the 6 GHz band with portions of the 7 GHz spectrum. The demo, powered by Broadcom’s chipsets and solutions, validated the feasibility of significantly boosting network performance by adding a small slice of 7 GHz spectrum atop existing 6 GHz resources.

In this showcase, Spectrum and Broadcom introduced an additional 125 MHz from 7.125 to 7.250 GHz, integrating it with existing 6 GHz channels to create four 320 MHz channels in total. Two of these channels operated in tandem via MLO (Multi-Link Operation) technology, enabling near-10 Gbps ultra-high-speed transmission. This demonstration suggests that, if regulators approve low-power shared use of the 7 GHz band, Wi-Fi performance could take another leap forward—bringing the era of “10-gigabit wireless” ever closer.

Rob Alderfer, Spectrum’s Vice President of Technology Policy, noted that while the 7 GHz range is still occupied by federal agencies, it may soon adopt a shared-use model similar to the 6 GHz band, allowing indoor Wi-Fi operations at low power. “That would be sufficient to support all the service scenarios we showcased today,” he said. Alderfer added that Spectrum is actively advocating for more open Wi-Fi spectrum to align home broadband and indoor wireless speeds. Spectrum’s internal projections indicate that, with the 7 GHz band and MLO, future Wi-Fi devices could reach peak speeds of nearly 20 Gbps, fully supporting AR/VR, 8K video, industrial IoT, and AI computing applications.

This breakthrough has once again turned global attention to the strategic value of the 6 GHz spectrum. The U.S. has already opened the entire 6 GHz band for unlicensed Wi-Fi use, accelerating the maturity of Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7 ecosystems. In contrast, China in 2023 allocated the 6425–7125 MHz range for 5G/6G use, while the 5925–6425 MHz lower portion remains undecided. As Wi-Fi 7 deployment accelerates worldwide, many in China’s industry now view opening the lower 6 GHz band as an inevitable step in the sector’s evolution.

On the industry side, several Chinese manufacturers have already completed 320 MHz bandwidth, multi-band adaptation, and MLO validation based on mainstream Wi-Fi 7 chipsets. Their products target smart devices, drones, AR/VR systems, and industrial IoT—all high-throughput application scenarios. This technological groundwork demonstrates that domestic enterprises are actively participating in building the 6 GHz Wi-Fi ecosystem, laying the foundation for future ultra-high-speed wireless connectivity.

Notably, Chinese manufacturer QOGRISYS recently launched the O2072PM Wi-Fi 7 module, built on the Qualcomm QCC2072 platform. The module has completed multi-band and 320 MHz bandwidth verification, supports tri-band 2×2 MIMO architecture and low-latency MLO operation, and is applicable to smart terminals, robots, AR/VR devices, and industrial IoT systems. From an industry perspective, such products showcase continuous technological breakthroughs by Chinese companies in Wi-Fi 7 and 6 GHz domains, providing more diverse options for the global wireless ecosystem.

As the international spectrum landscape reshapes and the industry value chain accelerates, the role of Wi-Fi 7 is expanding—from home wireless networking to the core of smart manufacturing and AIoT connectivity. Whether it’s Spectrum’s 10 Gbps field trial or the rapid evolution of China’s Wi-Fi 7 ecosystem, both point toward a new era of high-speed communications. The mass production and deployment of the O2072PM module mark a crucial step for Chinese enterprises in seizing the 6 GHz opportunity and shaping the future wireless landscape.