In today’s increasingly connected society—driven by real-time video, immersive experiences, smart industry, and billions of devices competing for reliable wireless access—networks face unprecedented challenges. Modern applications demand ultra-low latency, higher reliability, efficient spectrum use, and predictable performance. The joint MaxLinear–UPV research addresses these requirements through pioneering work on Wi-Fi 8 (IEEE 802.11bn), the next major evolution of Wi-Fi.

This collaboration results in a comprehensive paper that examines how Wi‑Fi 8’s new coordination capabilities can meaningfully improve user experience in dense, real‑world deployments. Building on the emerging IEEE 802.11bn framework, the paper places a strong emphasis on system‑level simulations that evaluate coordinated time division multiple access (Co‑TDMA) in overlapping Wi‑Fi environments, illustrating how coordinated access can transform the performance of time‑sensitive traffic.

The analysis focuses on new simulation scenarios that reflect realistic residential layouts, where several Wi‑Fi networks operate in proximity and contend for the same channel. Using an NS‑3–based platform, the study explores both balanced and unbalanced load conditions to highlight how Co‑TDMA behaves under different levels of congestion and traffic asymmetry. These simulations reveal how coordinated TXOP sharing between access points can significantly smooth channel access, reduce delays for short and frequent transmissions, and stabilize performance across neighboring networks.

This work is a significant contribution for Wi-Fi engineers, system architects, standards developers, and researchers seeking to understand how Wi-Fi 8 will address tomorrow’s connectivity challenges. It highlights the value of strong industry–academia collaboration in shaping the future of wireless communication.

Read the full paper here: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11193669