WIFI 6

[11Chris11]

WILL WIFI 6 BE SUPPORTED BY SKY??????????????

[TimmyBGood]

@11Chris11 

You don't have to shout.

No UK ISP currently supplies a WiFi 6-capable router, and the ongoing worldwide semiconductor shortage suggests bringing out new mass-market models this year will be challenging when millions of units may be involved.  Current models cannot be upgraded through firmware updates: 802.11ax has a different hardware specification to 802.11ac

[JPR007]

@11Chris11 At the moment no. In future yes.

There are no timescales yet, for reasons as @TimmyBGood has stated.

[cookiemonsteruk]

@11Chris11 

In addition to @TimmyBGood even with a 3rd party wifi6 router you will need devices that support it especially wifi 6e.

[TimmyBGood]

https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2021/02/first-hints-of-future-wifi-6-bt-smarthub-3-broadband-r... 

[11Chris11]

Any idea of timescales within Skys future plans??

[jamesn123]

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@11Chris11 wrote:

Any idea of timescales within Skys future plans??

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Sky havent said anything, I would imagine its probably being worked on internally but likely not anything in the near future due to not many devices supporting WiFi 6 yet.

[TimmyBGood]

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@11Chris11 wrote:

Any idea of timescales within Skys future plans??

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All ISPs will be planning their next router to be specified to 802.11ax, as the article I linked to above indicates.  As Sky only released their last model two years ago they may not have one in a late stage of development at this time: the BT Smart Hub 2 is a year older, which is why it's assumed that their next model will arrive before anything from Sky.

[Woody711]

Jurassic Fibre provide a Nokia Wi-Fi 6 (AX) router. They are a UK based ISP offering full fibre  (FTTC).

I spoke with one of their installation engineers in Exeter, yesterday, 06.01.22 who confirmed this to be the case.

I believe that other full fibre Internet Service Providers also offer Wi-Fi 6 routers.

[jamesn123]

@Woody711 

Yes they are niche suppliers with a few thousand to hundred thousand subscribers who likely expect more from their provider.

If you choose Sky or any other budget/mass market ISP for a matter of fact, as your broadband provider, you should not expect the latest technology

[Woody711]

Sky, believe in better.

It should be......

Sky, believe in better, elsewhere  🤣

To be fair, Sky have been a decent ISP but their equipment is average at best.

[TimmyBGood]

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@Woody711 wrote:

 They are a UK based ISP offering full fibre  (FTTC).

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To a very small number of addresses in a limited geographical area.  It's considerably quicker and easier for the emerging alternative full fibre providers to source a few thousand third-party WiFi 6 routers than for Sky, BT, Virgin and the like to specify, develop and commission their own-brand hardware which will be manufactured and distributed in the millions (and even more so during a global silicon component shortage): this is happening right now, but it takes time.

[Woody711]

@TimmyBGood 

To a very small number of addresses in a limited geographical area.  

That's right Timmy but other ISP's in different geographical areas also offer Wi-fi 6 routers here and now.

Some FTTP ISP's also offer monthly rolling contracts so that you can join them and rejoin a large ISP when they get around to installing FTTP in your area. 

I appreciate that Sky and larger ISP's take years to roll new equipment out but the answer to the original post as to whether Sky offer Wi-fi 6 routers is no but other ISP's may well do in your area.