Wi-Fi networks are taking on heavier workloads, more devices, and higher expectations from users who assume constant access everywhere. A new Wireless Broadband Alliance industry study shows that this expansion is reshaping priorities around security, identity, and trust, alongside adoption of new Wi-Fi standards.
Wi-Fi access point shipments to the MDU vertical world markets, forecast: 2024 to 2030 (Source: Wireless Broadband Alliance)
Wi-Fi 7 moves quickly into the field
Wi-Fi 7 adoption advanced faster than many earlier generations. Enterprises began deploying the standard soon after certification, attracted by higher throughput, lower latency, and better spectrum use. These traits support dense environments such as offices, venues, and campuses where thousands of devices connect at once.
The study notes that device support followed a similar curve. Smartphones and other client devices increasingly ship with Wi-Fi 7 capability, which means enterprises must plan for mixed generations operating side by side. This mix complicates network policy and monitoring, especially when older security assumptions no longer hold.
Higher performance also enables heavier use of encrypted traffic and real time applications. From a security perspective, that raises the importance of visibility, telemetry, and consistent access control across all radios and bands.
Network behavior
Expanded access to the 6 GHz band stands out as a key enabler of recent Wi-Fi growth. Wider channels and lower interference support higher device counts and more predictable performance in crowded settings.
Participants in the study link spectrum availability to investment confidence. Access to 6 GHz reduces contention in legacy bands and supports applications that demand stable connections. That stability matters for security controls that depend on reliable authentication, roaming, and session continuity.
Public venues, multi dwelling buildings, and industrial sites all appear as beneficiaries of additional spectrum. In each case, the study connects capacity planning with operational trust, since authentication failures and dropped sessions often create security blind spots.
“Wi-Fi is becoming fundamental as the digital backbone of modern business. From Wi-Fi 7 and 6 GHz to Wi-Fi HaLow and OpenRoaming, we’re seeing innovation turn into real deployments that improve user experience, unlock new services, revenues and reduce costs for operators and enterprises. As 5G and, in future, 6G increasingly converge with Wi-Fi, organizations can design connectivity to achieve the outcomes they need, whether that’s smarter factories, more resilient cities or new ways to engage customers,” said Tiago Rodrigues, President and CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance.
Security concerns rise with scale
Security and privacy rank at the top of enterprise concerns in the survey portion of the research. Respondents consistently place protection of users and data above other technical goals, reflecting the expanding role of Wi-Fi in business operations.
Wi-Fi supports payments, ticketing, healthcare monitoring, and automation. Each of these uses depends on strong authentication and encrypted connections. The study highlights that weak onboarding methods and shared credentials no longer meet expectations in these environments.
Device identification remains a persistent challenge. Randomized MAC addresses reduce tracking risks for users but complicate network management and threat detection. The research points to identity based methods as a way to maintain privacy while preserving operational awareness.
Identity driven roaming gains ground
Identity based roaming frameworks continue to expand in both enterprise and public deployments. The study describes growing interest in approaches that allow devices to authenticate automatically across trusted networks without user intervention.
Survey responses show that organizations value seamless access across locations and technologies. Identity based roaming supports this by tying access decisions to credentials rather than physical networks or static identifiers.
Cities, transportation hubs, and large venues feature prominently in deployment examples. These environments highlight the operational benefits of federated trust, while also underscoring the need for governance, logging, and incident response across multiple operators.
Enterprises rely on Wi-Fi for core functions
Enterprise Wi-Fi growth extends beyond offices. Hospitality, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and education environments all show rising dependence on wireless connectivity for daily operations.
In industrial settings, newer Wi-Fi standards support mobile machines, sensors, and control systems. These use cases place strict demands on latency and reliability, which in turn affect how security policies are enforced. Access interruptions can disrupt production, while misconfigured permissions can expose operational systems.
Healthcare and education environments show similar patterns. Large device populations, frequent onboarding, and privacy requirements create pressure for standardized identity and access workflows.
Automation and AI enter network operations
AI appears in the study as a growing operational tool. Participants associate AI with traffic optimization, fault detection, and automated remediation.
These capabilities rely on consistent data collection across the network. Higher capacity and newer standards make that data collection feasible, while identity based access improves context around device behavior.
From a cybersecurity standpoint, AI driven analysis supports earlier detection of abnormal patterns and misconfigurations. The study presents this as an extension of network management rather than a replacement for established controls.
Converged networks add coordination needs
Wi-Fi increasingly operates alongside private cellular, public cellular, and satellite links. The research shows strong interest in converged deployments, particularly in enterprises seeking flexibility.
This convergence increases coordination demands for identity and policy enforcement. Devices move between access technologies while maintaining sessions and security posture. The study highlights ongoing work to align authentication and trust models across these domains.