IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/telpol/v48y2024i6s0308596124000636.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Reviewing wireless broadband technologies in the peak smartphone era: 6G versus Wi-Fi 7 and 8

Author

Listed:
  • Oughton, Edward
  • Geraci, Giovanni
  • Polese, Michele
  • Shah, Vijay
  • Bubley, Dean
  • Blue, Scott

Abstract

With the arrival of the peak smartphone era, users are upgrading their smartphones less frequently, and data growth is decelerating. To ensure effective spectrum management decisions, policy makers require a thorough understanding of prospective wireless broadband technologies, current trends and emerging issues. Here, we review the sixth cellular generation (‘6G’), in comparison to two new Wi-Fi standards, including IEEE 802.11be (‘Wi-Fi 7’) and IEEE 802.11bn (‘Wi-Fi 8’). We identify three emerging issues necessary for successful telecommunication policy. Firstly, evidenced-based policy making needs to be able to measure effectively how much demand takes place where and how. Thus, new datasets are needed reflecting real usage by different wireless broadband technologies, for indoor and outdoor users. Secondly, with data consumption growth slowing, there needs to be an urgent reassessment of spectrum demand versus allocation. Past forecasts do not reflect recent data and regulators urgently need to re-evaluate the implications for spectrum management. Finally, regulators need new and improved Lifecycle Impact Assessment metrics of cellular versus Wi-Fi architectures, to support successful policy decisions which mitigate energy and emissions impacts.

Suggested Citation

  • Oughton, Edward & Geraci, Giovanni & Polese, Michele & Shah, Vijay & Bubley, Dean & Blue, Scott, 2024. "Reviewing wireless broadband technologies in the peak smartphone era: 6G versus Wi-Fi 7 and 8," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(6).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:telpol:v:48:y:2024:i:6:s0308596124000636
    DOI: 10.1016/j.telpol.2024.102766
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596124000636
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.telpol.2024.102766?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Edward J. Oughton & William Lehr, 2022. "Surveying 5G Techno-Economic Research to Inform the Evaluation of 6G Wireless Technologies," Papers 2201.02272, arXiv.org, revised Jan 2022.
    2. Myrtill Simkó & Mats-Olof Mattsson, 2019. "5G Wireless Communication and Health Effects—A Pragmatic Review Based on Available Studies Regarding 6 to 100 GHz," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-23, September.
    3. Hanna Pihkola & Mikko Hongisto & Olli Apilo & Mika Lasanen, 2018. "Evaluating the Energy Consumption of Mobile Data Transfer—From Technology Development to Consumer Behaviour and Life Cycle Thinking," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-16, July.
    4. Kuziemski, Maciej & Misuraca, Gianluca, 2020. "AI governance in the public sector: Three tales from the frontiers of automated decision-making in democratic settings," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(6).
    5. Ahokangas, Petri & Gisca, Oxana & Matinmikko-Blue, Marja & Yrjölä, Seppo & Gordon, Jillian, 2023. "Toward an integrated framework for developing European 6G innovation," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(9).
    6. Hussain, M. & Tapinos, E. & Knight, L., 2017. "Scenario-driven roadmapping for technology foresight," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 160-177.
    7. Mika Hoppari & Mikko Uitto & Jukka Mäkelä & Ilkka Harjula & Seppo Rantala, 2021. "Performance of the 5th Generation Indoor Wireless Technologies-Empirical Study," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-11, July.
    8. Ming Yan & Chien Aun Chan & André F. Gygax & Jinyao Yan & Leith Campbell & Ampalavanapillai Nirmalathas & Christopher Leckie, 2019. "Modeling the Total Energy Consumption of Mobile Network Services and Applications," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-18, January.
    9. Oughton, Edward J. & Lehr, William & Katsaros, Konstantinos & Selinis, Ioannis & Bubley, Dean & Kusuma, Julius, 2021. "Revisiting Wireless Internet Connectivity: 5G vs Wi-Fi 6," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(5).
    10. Iden, Jon & Methlie, Leif B. & Christensen, Gunnar E., 2017. "The nature of strategic foresight research: A systematic literature review," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 87-97.
    11. Julien Guyot & Akhil Rao & Sébastien Rouillon, 2023. "Oligopoly competition between satellite constellations will reduce economic welfare from orbit use," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 120(43), pages 2221343120-, October.
    12. Ribeiro-Navarrete, Samuel & Saura, Jose Ramon & Palacios-Marqués, Daniel, 2021. "Towards a new era of mass data collection: Assessing pandemic surveillance technologies to preserve user privacy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    13. Feijóo, Claudio & Kwon, Youngsun & Bauer, Johannes M. & Bohlin, Erik & Howell, Bronwyn & Jain, Rekha & Potgieter, Petrus & Vu, Khuong & Whalley, Jason & Xia, Jun, 2020. "Harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to increase wellbeing for all: The case for a new technology diplomacy," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(6).
    14. Bauer, Johannes M. & Bohlin, Erik, 2022. "Regulation and innovation in 5G markets," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(4).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Oughton, Edward J. & Amaglobeli, David & Moszoro, Marian, 2023. "What would it cost to connect the unconnected? Estimating global universal broadband infrastructure investment," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(10).
    2. Ma, Chao-Qun & Lei, Yu-Tian & Ren, Yi-Shuai & Chen, Xun-Qi & Wang, Yi-Ran & Narayan, Seema, 2024. "Systematic analysis of the blockchain in the energy sector: Trends, issues, and future directions," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(2).
    3. Undheim, Trond Arne, 2024. "In search of better methods for the longitudinal assessment of tech-derived X-risks: How five leading scenario planning efforts can help," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    4. Schweitzer, Nicola & Hofmann, Rupert & Meinheit, Andreas, 2019. "Strategic customer foresight: From research to strategic decision-making using the example of highly automated vehicles," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 49-65.
    5. Bowman, Gary & Parks, Ryan W., 2024. "Between episodes of strategy: Sociomateriality, sensemaking, and dysfunction in a scenario planning process," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    6. Nelly Condori-Fernandez & Patricia Lago & Miguel R. Luaces & Ángeles S. Places, 2020. "An Action Research for Improving the Sustainability Assessment Framework Instruments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-25, February.
    7. Edward J. Oughton & Tom Russell & Jeongjin Oh & Sara Ballan & Jim W. Hall, 2023. "Global Vulnerability Assessment of Mobile Telecommunications Infrastructure to Climate Hazards using Crowdsourced Open Data," Papers 2311.04392, arXiv.org.
    8. Marinković, Milan & Al-Tabbaa, Omar & Khan, Zaheer & Wu, Jie, 2022. "Corporate foresight: A systematic literature review and future research trajectories," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 289-311.
    9. Barrutia, Jose M. & Echebarria, Carmen, 2021. "Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on public managers’ attitudes toward digital transformation," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    10. Prommer, Lisa & Tiberius, Victor & Kraus, Sascha, 2020. "Exploring the future of startup leadership development," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 14(C).
    11. Cano-Marin, Enrique & Mora-Cantallops, Marçal & Sánchez-Alonso, Salvador, 2023. "Twitter as a predictive system: A systematic literature review," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    12. Heiskanen, Aleksi & Hurmekoski, Elias & Toppinen, Anne & Näyhä, Annukka, 2022. "Exploring the unknowns – State of the art in qualitative forest-based sector foresight research," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    13. Mendez-Picazo, María-Teresa & Galindo-Martin, Miguel-Angel & Perez-Pujol, Rafael-Sergio, 2024. "Direct and indirect effects of digital transformation on sustainable development in pre- and post-pandemic periods," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    14. Saima Javed & Yu Rong & Babar Nawaz Abbasi, 2024. "Convergence analysis of artificial intelligence research capacity: Are the less developed catching up with the developed ones?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(4), pages 2172-2192, May.
    15. Zbysław Dobrowolski & Grzegorz Drozdowski & Józef Ledzianowski, 2021. "The Competency Niche: An Exploratory Study," Risks, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-11, October.
    16. Zhang, Weidong & Zuo, Na & He, Wu & Li, Songtao & Yu, Lu, 2021. "Factors influencing the use of artificial intelligence in government: Evidence from China," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    17. Mendonça, Sandro & Damásio, Bruno & Charlita de Freitas, Luciano & Oliveira, Luís & Cichy, Marcin & Nicita, António, 2022. "The rise of 5G technologies and systems: A quantitative analysis of knowledge production," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(4).
    18. Tan Yigitcanlar & Rashid Mehmood & Juan M. Corchado, 2021. "Green Artificial Intelligence: Towards an Efficient, Sustainable and Equitable Technology for Smart Cities and Futures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-14, August.
    19. Hiran, Kamal Kant & Dadhich, Manish, 2024. "Predicting the core determinants of cloud-edge computing adoption (CECA) for sustainable development in the higher education institutions of Africa: A high order SEM-ANN analytical approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    20. Xu, Chang & Jin, Long, 2024. "Effects of government digitalization on firm investment efficiency: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 819-834.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:telpol:v:48:y:2024:i:6:s0308596124000636. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/30471/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.