The 802.11be standard, sold as Wi-Fi 7, is now available in enterprise access points at prices a UK office can specify. Extra speed on the datasheet is not a buying case. Specify it when congestion, delay or a planned refresh already exists.
What the standard actually gives you
Throughput. The theoretical ceiling is 46Gbps. On a real floor you'll see 2 to 5Gbps from each access point, about twice a Wi-Fi 6E radio in the same conditions.
Multi-Link Operation (MLO). A Wi-Fi 7 client can join the 2.4GHz, 5GHz and 6GHz bands at once. When one band fills up, the session moves onto another without dropping.
Latency. In ideal conditions, delay falls below 1ms. That helps business VoIP, video meetings and cloud desktops such as Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365. Extra milliseconds show up as clipped audio or a sluggish cursor.
4096-QAM. The modulation puts about 20% more data into each burst than Wi-Fi 6 or 6E.
320MHz channels. Width is double that of Wi-Fi 6E, so each burst carries more payload.
When an upgrade is justified
Wi-Fi 7 is a reasonable spend when:
- Access points are being replaced anyway, because of age or a new office fit-out
- Density is already high, with 50 or more devices sharing one access point at the same time
- Voice or video quality on wireless is already poor
- Cloud desktops are going in, and delay on the radio will be felt immediately
- The copper can carry it. Cat6A or better is needed if you want the radio to run at its rated speed
When to stay on Wi-Fi 6
A healthy Wi-Fi 6 estate with no density or delay problem doesn't need replacing. Wi-Fi 6E access points are proven, priced for ordinary offices and enough for most floors.
The mistakes that waste the spend
New radios on old copper. A Wi-Fi 7 access point on Cat5e is capped at 1Gbps. The radio is capable of around 5Gbps; the cable won't pass that.
Switches left as they are. These radios draw more power and push more traffic. Ports need to be multigigabit at 2.5G or above, and the PoE budget has to cover the extra draw.
Assuming every laptop is ready. Most phones and laptops shipping now still lack Wi-Fi 7 radios. The new access points talk to older clients, so existing devices keep full Wi-Fi 6 and 6E performance. The extra capacity appears as those devices are replaced.
What a UK office typically pays
For a commercial install in the UK:
- Enterprise Wi-Fi 7 access point: £400 to £800 each
- Cat6A run, if the copper has to change: £80 to £150 per run
- 24-port PoE multigigabit switch: £1,500 to £3,000
- Survey, install and configuration: £500 to £2,000, set by the building
Why the wireless layer still matters for automation
Once you automate a workflow, that job still travels across the office radio. Congestion looks like a software fault. Predictive monitoring watches access points and switches so a failing radio is noticed before people on that floor lose the connection.
How Wanzo specifies wireless
We start with a site survey and model coverage and density before ordering kit. Installation covers the copper, the switches and the access point configuration. We specify Wi-Fi 7 when the floor needs it, and Wi-Fi 6E when it does not.
What to do next
Send floor plans or a short note on current wireless problems through our contact page. We'll come back with a survey scope and whether Wi-Fi 7 belongs in that quote.