Arvig, a Minnesota-based regional service provider, is offering user devices compatible with Wi-Fi 6E, an extended version of the Wi-Fi 6 standard.
The move follows the service provider’s upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 earlier this year. Wi-Fi 6 is backward compatible with older devices that use the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands.
Wi-Fi 6E adds the ability to use the 6 GHz frequency band, which offers near-gigabit speeds, lower latency and less network congestion, according to Arvig.
Arvig’s Wi-Fi 6E service uses Calix’s GigaSpire routers and mesh technology.
The rollout of these new and improved end-user devices brings our network upgrade full circle,” Shaun Carlson, Arvig’s Director of Research & Development and Continuous Innovation, said in a press release. “Our customers now have access to some of the best available wireless technology, allowing them to fully experience the many benefits offered by WiFi 6, but most importantly, the 6 GHz frequency.”
Arvig, which is based in Perham, MN, is an employee-owned broadband provider that offers a range of services and has more than 14,500 miles of fiber throughout the state.
Wi-Fi 6E also is gaining attention from the largest operators. Last month, Comcast introduced its Supersonic WiFi, which features a Wi-Fi 6E gateway. It is available to Xfinity Internet Gigabit and Ultrafast customers across the U.S. Internet Gigabit achieves speeds of 1.2 Gbps and the Ultrafast service supports downstream speeds as fast as 600 Mbps.
The new Comcast service was preceded by the introduction on January 3 of the xFi Advanced Gateway. Comcast said at the time that adding the 6 GHz band enables three times the bandwidth and sets the stage for symmetrical gigabit services.
