Existing Wi-Fi 6 devices support multiband operations across the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands. However, these operations are independent, lacking coordination and significantly reduce efficiency. To address this, Wi-Fi 7 introduces MLO!
Wi-Fi 7 MLO (Multi-Link Operation) is a cutting-edge technology that unlocks the full potential of Wi-Fi connectivity, enabling a multi-link device (MLD) to simultaneously operate across multiple frequency bands, including 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz.
MLO is similar to carrier aggregation CA in mobile networks, which allows mobile operators to assign multiple frequency blocks to the same user, increasing the data transfer rate per user. Devices that listen on multiple channels can monitor changes in channel quality and dynamically switch to a more reliable transmitting channel.
MLO introduces significant benefits for a variety of use cases, including the simultaneous use of multiple bands, improved throughput by leveraging the combined capacity of multiple channels across different bands, and reduced latency by offloading traffic across various channels.
Example: If one band (for example, 2.4 GHz) experiences congestion, then the device can seamlessly switch to a less congested band (such as 6 GHz) without dropping the connection. This is extremely helpful in spaces with busy radio frequency (RF) traffic, such as stadiums, apartments, and offices.
As per Cisco, Wi-Fi 7 with MLO significantly outperforms Wi-Fi 6, delivering a 47% throughput increase, along with more efficient spectrum utilisation.
According to MediaTek, without MLO Capability, there can be switching overhead or delay of up to 100ms. Additionally, MediaTek is using only one chip for the three bands, rather than three separate chips. The baseband is all-in-one, so the physical layers – including the MAC layer – are not split into three different chips, but are integrated into a single 6nm TSMC, which is called “Single-MAC MLO” to optimise throughput and latency and ensure the best user experience.
Important Notes
- Many “Wi-Fi 7” devices on the market are not fully compliant with the finalised IEEE 802.11be spec — they’re shipping early with partial or pre-standard feature sets. Therefore, WiFi 7 Certification is mandatory to ensure interoperability and compliance with standards.
- MLO requires both the AP and the client to operate on multiple bands