The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), the global industry body dedicated to driving the seamless and interoperable service experience of Wi-Fi across the global wireless ecosystem, has released its latest set of 10 predictions charting how Wi-Fi is expected to evolve in 2026 and the years ahead.
Published in the “WBA Industry Report 2026”, the forecasts indicate that Wi-Fi is moving into a new phase of growth. Wi-Fi 7 is scaling rapidly, while preparatory work around Wi-Fi 8 and mmWave continues to advance. At the same time, technologies such as 6 GHz, Wi-Fi HaLow and mesh are broadening dependable coverage from residential settings to factories and smart cities. Developments in offload, fiber, satellite and LEO-enabled in-flight services are also positioning Wi-Fi as a ubiquitous, carrier-grade connectivity layer that supports both 5G today and 6G in the future.
Tiago Rodrigues, President and CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance, said: “It is clear that Wi-Fi is becoming fundamental as the digital backbone of modern business. From Wi-Fi 7 and 6 GHz to Wi-Fi HaLow and OpenRoaming, we’re seeing rapid innovation turn into real deployments that improve user experience, unlock new services, revenues and reduce costs for operators and enterprises. As 5G and, in future, 6G increasingly converge with Wi-Fi, organizations can design connectivity to achieve the outcomes they need, whether that’s smarter factories, more resilient cities or new ways to engage customers. The WBA is helping the ecosystem make that leap together.”
Wi-Fi Predictions for 2026 and Beyond
1. Wi-Fi 7 adoption to accelerate: Momentum behind Wi-Fi 7 gathered strongly in 2025, as both consumers and enterprises sought to capitalize on the 6 GHz spectrum band and the standard’s advanced capabilities. Shipments of APs supporting Wi-Fi 7 increased from 26.3 million in 2024 to a projected 66.5 million in 2025. Looking ahead, ABI Research expects adoption to intensify further in 2026, forecasting annual Wi-Fi 7 AP shipments of 117.9 million.
2. Standard Power 6 GHz to gain further traction: Standard Power (SP) 6 GHz experienced early challenges, including lengthy regulatory certification processes and limited infrastructure availability. With greater regulatory clarity now in place and a broader range of SP 6 GHz-enabled equipment on the market, deployments are expected to pick up pace in 2026. Large public venues, education, and industrial manufacturing are likely to lead adoption, alongside anticipated regulatory moves to authorize SP 6 GHz in additional markets.
3. Early prototypes of Wi-Fi 8 to emerge: While the Wi-Fi 8 (802.11bn) standard remains several years from finalization, initial Wi-Fi 8 chipsets were unveiled toward the end of 2025. This activity is expected to expand in 2026, with more chipset announcements and the debut of numerous early prototype Wi-Fi 8 APs. Some of these prototypes are expected to be showcased early in the year at MWC 2026.
4. Wi-Fi offload gains in prominence with OpenRoaming: Multiple factors are set to drive increased investment in Wi-Fi offloading during 2026. Mobile carriers, facing sustained growth in cellular traffic and rising expectations around user experience, are expected to expand their Wi-Fi offload strategies. In parallel, smart cities are likely to adopt Wi-Fi offloading to offer continuous free connectivity for residents and visitors, while supporting applications ranging from smart traffic management to disaster prevention. Further OpenRoaming advancements in 2026 are expected to reinforce this trend.
5. Wi-Fi HaLow momentum accelerates: After a series of successful WBA trials, 2025 marked the year when Wi-Fi HaLow moved decisively into scaled commercialization. The year saw multiple chipset and infrastructure announcements, the first Wi-Fi HaLow Global Summit, and the launch of a new Wi-Fi HaLow marketing program by the Wi-Fi Alliance. This momentum is expected to carry into 2026, with additional product launches and deployments highlighting real-world use cases.
6. Greater clarity on how Wi-Fi and 6G will converge: The WBA’s 6G vision outlines a future 3GPP standard built around collaboration with Wi-Fi, leveraging both technologies to maximize cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency. As the cellular ecosystem begins preparing more actively for 6G in 2026, further details are expected to emerge regarding how Wi-Fi and 6G will work together.
7. Wi-Fi on airplanes witnesses a major advancement: In-flight Wi-Fi Quality of Experience (QoE) is set for significant improvement through connectivity supported by Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, enabling faster speeds, lower latency and uninterrupted service. During 2026, a growing number of airlines, including British Airways (BA) and United, are expected to adopt LEO-backed in-flight Wi-Fi solutions. BA and others will also make Wi-Fi access free for all passengers, regardless of travel class, significantly broadening availability.
8. Advances in broadband access improve and expand connectivity: Fiber broadband penetration is projected to continue rising through 2026, with subscriptions reaching a record 808.7 million by year-end, up from an estimated 776.3 million at the end of 2025 and 745.5 million at the end of 2024. Alongside this, the expansion of satellite broadband is expected to deliver reliable, high-performance connectivity to unconnected and underserved regions. Worldwide satellite broadband subscriptions are forecast to grow from 6.76 million at the end of 2024 to 12.67 million by the close of 2026.
9. Mesh adoption continues to rise: Demand for Wi-Fi Mesh is increasing as consumers seek broader in-home coverage, fewer dead zones and support for additional services. While early demand in the 2020s was largely retail-driven, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are now scaling Wi-Fi Mesh deployments to boost ARPUs (Average Revenues Per User) and enhance customer Quality of Service (QoS). Reflecting this shift, annual Wi-Fi Mesh equipment shipments are projected to rise from 41.7 million in 2024 to 63.6 million in 2026.
10. Important progress on Integrated Millimeter Wave (mmWave) Wi-Fi (802.11bq): Following the initiation of the Project Authorization Request for 802.11bq in December 2024, the 802.11bq working group has begun examining how Wi-Fi can best leverage the 60 GHz spectrum band. Although completion of the standard is not expected until 2029, developments in 2026 are anticipated to provide clearer insight into the direction of 802.11bq and how the industry plans to use the band to enable high-gigabit, low-latency wireless data transfer.