What Will Wi-Fi 8 Be? A Primer on IEEE 802.11bn Ultra High Reliability

What will Wi-Fi 8 be? Driven by the strict re quirements of emerging applications, next-generation Wi-Fi is set to prioritize Ultra High Reliability (UHR) above all. In this paper, we explore the journey towards IEEE 802.11bn UHR, the amendment that will form the basis of Wi-Fi 8. After providing an overview of the nearly completed Wi-Fi 7 standard, we present new use-cases calling for further Wi-Fi evolution. We also outline current standardization, certification, and spectrum allocation activities, sharing updates from the newly formed UHR Study Group. We then introduce the disruptive new features envisioned for 802.11bn and discuss the associated research challenges. Among those, we focus on access point coordination and demonstrate that it could build upon 802.11be multi-link operation to make Ultra High Reliability a reality in Wi-Fi 8.