Of late, the market around Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) products & solutions has seen rapid growth and expansion in India. Be it wireless routers or access points, Wi-Fi 6 defines the networking market in the country. In an interaction with Digital Edge, Harish Agarwal, Group Business Manager, Rashi Peripherals Limited, talks about the market dynamics around Wi-Fi 6 products & solutions here in India. Excerpts!
Do you think the coming of Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) has proved to be a game changer for home/SOHO connectivity?
Yes. The Wi-Fi 6 expands the Wi-Fi band from 80 MHz to 160 MHz, doubling the channel width and creating a faster connection from a router to the device. The Wi-Fi 6 is faster and can connect to more devices. Also, it is more secure than the older technologies.
How have been the responses of the Indian market to Wi-Fi 6 routers? What business prospects do you foresee for Wi-Fi 7 routers?
The Wi-Fi 6 is a new technology and is very well accepted by the Indian market as this gives better speed and connectivity. Related to market share, the 802.11n and the 802.11ac compatible wireless networking products take bigger market shares. Soon the market-share for the Wi-Fi 6 is expected to increase by the time customers get more awareness of the technology. Also, many OEMs already started working on the next-level of wireless protocol that is Wi-Fi 7. The upcoming technology would give a better experience of wireless connectivity.
Is price the biggest impediment in the wider adoption of Wi-Fi 6 routers here in India?
In today’s world, buyers look for instant solutions with better throughputs. They’re ready to spend on premium products and are ready to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 technology. So, users can get the best performance from home internet.
What are the networking brands of Wi-Fi 6 routers that you distribute in India? What are the salient features of these Wi-Fi 6 routers?
We distribute Wi-Fi 6 wireless networking products from brands such as TP-LINK, ASUS, and BELDEN in the Indian market. The Wi-Fi 6 routers from these brands provide the fastest real-world speeds with much wider ranges.
Do you think Wi-Fi 6 routers can ginger up the online gaming experience on desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones?
The Wi-Fi 6 routers can play a vital role and does value add to the gaming experience by giving better wireless connectivity outputs. College gamers have started spending considerable amounts on gaming hardware. Recently, we participated in an online gaming event called ‘SKOAR’ college gaming club held in multi-locations all India. Gamers showed their mesmerising gaming talents with the help of Wi-Fi 6 routers.
Do you think Wi-Fi 6 routers can make a greater impact on the adoption level of consumer IoT (CIoT) systems & solutions in homes and SOHO entities in the country?
IoT products are now essential for premium class buyers and smooth usage of IoT products one needs to have better Wi-Fi 6 routers. Using these wireless routers, they can enjoy 8K movies, large file downloads and uploads, and responsive smart home devices – all without buffering.
What is the channel strategy of your company around these Wi-Fi 6 routers?
We intend to educate customers about the technology through digital platforms. We will be focusing on giving Wi-Fi 6 products training to channel partners, especially in C and D class of cities. Last but not least, we’re also providing POC facility to our partners for Wi-Fi 6 products.
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