Aruba Access Points Extends Wi-Fi 6E to Healthcare
The introduction of Wi-Fi 6E promises a faster wireless experience for consumers and enterprises alike. This is especially critical for hospitals and healthcare systems that must support multiple devices running on different bandwidths at the same time.
Wi-Fi 6E will be included on millions of devices in 2022. This sets forth the acceptance of IT teams everywhere that learning how to support this new technology is a must. While infrastructure is only one piece of the puzzle, as Comport’s Senior Network Consultant Sean Wilson explains, companies are preparing for the full rollout with new devices that support compatibility with Wi-Fi 6E.
The most prominent of these innovations comes from Aruba Networks, which announced the introduction of its 630 Series Wi-Fi 6E Access Points (AP). This is the first AP to hit the market for enterprise-grade Wi-Fi 6E enablement.
What is Wi-Fi 6E?
Wi-Fi 6E refers to wireless devices that operate in the 6GHz band. Wi-Fi 6E is the latest expansion of wireless capability, building on the previous capacities of 2.4GHz and 5GHz. In April 2020, the Federal Communications Commission opened up the 6GHz band for unlicensed use, making implementation of Wi-Fi 6E a near-term reality.
As Wilson summarized it, “We moved from a three-lane highway (2.4GHz) early on to a 14-lane highway (5GHz). With the introduction of Wi-Fi 6E, which uses the newly allowed 6GHz spectrum, we are looking at roughly 60 lanes of highway!”
Wi-Fi 6E is important because it improves wireless experiences in nearly every aspect from reduced congestion to better support for IoT devices. The higher speed connection that Wi-Fi 6E provides unlocks the potential for unforeseen innovation in healthcare technology.
Aruba Access Points and Wi-Fi 6E: A Dynamic Duo for Healthcare Infrastructure
Wi-Fi 6E is just one part of upgrading wireless capabilities. In order to use Wi-Fi 6E, we must have devices that are compatible with the upgraded infrastructure. This is where Aruba Access Points come in.
Aruba Access Points support Wi-Fi 6E enablement, which will provide hospitals and healthcare systems with faster connectivity speeds and better overall performance. These five benefits of Wi-Fi 6E are why your IT team should keep an eye on its rollout.
5 Reasons for Healthcare IT Teams to Watch Wi-Fi 6E and Aruba Access Points
1. They support high bandwidth demands from multiple devices.
According to Wi-Fi.org, “Hospitals are a perfect example of congested, high traffic, constantly changing environments that would benefit from Wi-Fi 6.”
Wireless technology is a monumental upgrade in hospitals and healthcare organizations. From real-time data analysis to monitoring patient status remotely, we couldn’t imagine a world in which wireless capability didn’t exist.
However, with the increased number of devices connected to Wi-Fi, healthcare technology teams must support higher bandwidth requirements. Wi-Fi 6E reduces the congestion from multiple connected devices for a seamless wireless experience.
2. They create a better wireless experience overall for staff and patients.
No one wants a slow, spotty Wi-Fi connection. Could you imagine being seen by your doctor, only to be met with, “Sorry it’s taking so long, the Wi-Fi is slow today.” Or sitting in the waiting room ready to tackle some work emails when you receive a grayed out ‘No Connection’ notification.
A good Wi-Fi experience is part of a good patient experience. Wi-Fi 6E creates a more reliable connection for an overall better experience.
3. They enable enterprise wireless connectivity in healthcare organizations.
Whether your goal is to transition to cloud solutions, or enable a telehealth program, a strong wireless connection is required to be successful. The bandwidth needed to run programs like real-time video chats, or storing massive amounts of data such as X-ray photos becomes a breeze when you can lean on Wi-Fi 6E.
4. They support an increasing number of IoT devices.
The expansion of wireless capabilities led to the introduction of IoT, or the Internet of Things. Today we collect data from countless devices—an innovation that’s been instrumental in advancing healthcare technology. IoT plays a critical role in hospitals. The 2019 Medical Device Report stated patient rooms have an average of 15-20 connected devices per room.
This trend is only going to continue as new healthcare innovations arise, making reliable bandwidth an essential piece of the puzzle.
5. They provide a reliable connection for mission-critical healthcare applications.
Using Wi-Fi 6E is another way to protect your organization’s mission-critical workloads and data. The increased bandwidth creates more reliability and better connectivity to handle the demands of even the most sensitive applications. Healthcare IT teams could put their mission-critical workloads on the 6GHz band, while keeping other workloads on lower capacity bandwidth to ensure nothing interferes with critical applications.
While the rollout of Wi-Fi 6E is still in progress, now is the time to be preparing your IT infrastructure for the future of healthcare. If situations where multiple devices compete for bandwidth are common at your practice, then Comport and Aruba can help your team plan for an upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E.
Comport offers an INFRAM Assessment to help healthcare IT teams systematize their plan for infrastructure upgrades. Our certified IT consultants analyze five areas of healthcare infrastructure and summarize recommendations in a detailed roadmap that guides next steps. Learn more and get started by requesting an INFRAM Assessment.
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Author: Bill Flatley, Field CTO for Healthcare
Bill is responsible for technical strategies and recommendations for Comport’s Healthcare clients. His extensive experience includes four healthcare systems in leadership roles supporting Clinical Applications, Digital Health, and Office of the CIO as the primary liaison between IT and the business.
