06-15
2026
In a quiet but consequential announcement, the Wi-Fi Alliance has formalized the certification roadmap for Wi-Fi 8 (IEEE 802.11bn). A global three-site Plugfest interoperability trial is scheduled for September 7–11, 2026, across Beijing, Taipei, and California. While this is an internal pre-certification activity, its implications for the Wi-Fi module industry extend far beyond a simple calendar update—it signals a fundamental redefinition of how wireless connectivity will be engineered, priced, and adopted across residential, enterprise, and industrial markets. This is not another speed war. This is the industry’s first-ever reliability-first wireless standard. 1. The Certification Roadmap: What Has Changed and When To understand why this roadmap matters, one must first recognize what Wi-Fi 8 is not. Unlike every prior g...