AT&T, Ruckus Networks, and Intel conducted Phase 2 of the Wi-Fi 7 Enterprise Field Trials as part of the Wi-Fi 7 program providing strong evidence supporting enterprise adoption of Multi-Link Operation (MLO) capable Wi-Fi 7 devices.
Building on Phase 1, this trials demonstrate MLO performance in real-world enterprise environments, with major gains in both throughput and responsiveness, including up to 116% uplink throughput improvement under interference and up to 66% lower uplink latency for real-time traffic.
Today, enterprise Wi-Fi is the access layer for almost everything that drives productivity: cloud apps, video meetings, unified comms, VDI, real-time collaboration, scanning and logistics, voice and location services. When Wi-Fi performance drops, the business impact is immediate and visible.
Collectively, the trial findings demonstrate that MLO using Enhanced Multi-Link Single Radio (eMLSR) addresses critical enterprise challenges by improving reliability through spectrum diversity, maximizing efficiency through dynamic band switching and reducing latency for real-time applications. As a future-proof architecture, MLO positions enterprises to meet next-generation application demands.
The test environment paired Ruckus Wi-Fi 7 access points with Intel® BE200–based Wi-Fi 7 clients using Enhanced Multi-Link Single Radio (eMLSR) architecture, validating performance with realistic deployment constraints.
The trials evaluated Wi-Fi 7 MLO using eMLSR with commercial-grade access points and client devices, focusing on the outcomes that matter most for enterprise networks, including more predictable performance under congestion and interference. Testing was conducted in live enterprise office environments, not a lab or RF chamber, and included multiple simultaneous Wi-Fi 7 clients, co-channel interference on the 6 GHz band and mixed traffic loads, including throughput and real-time RTP flows.
Key Takeaways
• Reliability, not just higher speeds. Multi-Link Operation enables real-time steering across 5 GHz and 6 GHz, maintaining performance when interference occurs, avoiding the performance drops seen in non-MLO devices
• Strong performance gains under interference. Higher effective capacity is achieved per AP without redesigning channel plans or adding spectrum. Measured results show Up to 75% downlink and 116% uplink improvement under co-channel interference. Even under clean spectrum 42% downlink and 139% uplink improvement were achieved
• Consistently Lower Latency for Real-Time Applications. Improved experience for video conferencing, collaboration tools, cloud desktops, and interactive applications was measured, with up to 44% reduction in downlink latency and a 66% reduction in uplink latency
• Maximum value in bandwidth-constrained deployments. The largest gains were observed in 40 MHz enterprise-typical configurations, where spectrum contention is common. This means better ROI from existing spectrum for enterprises without reliance on wide channels or pristine RF conditions
• Practical and scalable with single-radio MLO. The trials confirm that eMLSR delivers substantial enterprise benefits without multi-radio client complexity. This includes lower device cost, lower power consumption and faster ecosystem adoption.
Interested in Joining?
For current WBA Members:
Register your interest in the next trial phase: https://wballiance.com/engage-with-wba/
For organizations not yet part of WBA:
Contact WBA Membership at membership@wballiance.com to learn how to join and participate in upcoming programs.
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Key Participants:
