Next Generation of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi

7Potential of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi in 5G/6G

As explained previously, the evolution of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi has followed the evolution of applications and services based on wireless networking and communications, the requirements of these applications based on user demands for higher quality of service in general (this is not just confined to high-speed communication, but also energy efficiency, adaptation to the environment, etc.). However, in many cases, it cannot be just one technology that could provide such demands of the users. This is why one of main concepts of current 5G standards and the upcoming 6G standard is “integration”, where multiple technologies can be adapted together to provision a wider range of services.

Of course, “integration” can be considered as a very broad term. In terms of communication and networking, we look toward the future of heterogeneous networking, or simply HetNets, which, as the name implies, exploits heterogeneity and utilize the advantages of each technology while minimizing their negative effects. Let us take a simple comparative example between cellular technologies, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Current 5G at the moment definitively provides the highest coverage, mobility and transmission rate. Furthermore, it provides scalability, which is essential for connectivity of numerous IoT devices in the future. If we only consider the aforementioned aspects, cellular technology can indeed replace all others and become the de facto technology.

However, ...