The Current State of Videoconferencing and Remote Work
Today, 35 percent of employed adults work fully remotely, and 41 percent work in a hybrid environment, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey. In both cases, videoconferencing remains a top priority so that meetings run smoothly and workers can connect.
Owl Labs, a company that makes 360-degree videoconferencing devices, notes in a 2022 report that only 1 in 3 employers have upgraded their video meeting technology since the start of the pandemic. This has led to an abundance of issues. Specifically, “32% of remote meeting participants report not being able to see faces and therefore missing visual cues, and 29% report being unable to tell who’s speaking during hybrid meetings,” the company notes on its website. This isn’t always due to a remote device or connection. In fact, 26 percent of in-person meeting participants face internet problems, according to the report.
Suboptimal connectivity can cause a lack of productivity, which is already an annual $8.8 trillion problem globally. That’s why businesses are turning to Wi-Fi 6E to improve networking and ease frustrations during the workday.
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How Wi-Fi 6E Elevates Videoconferencing and Remote Work
The benefits of Wi-Fi 6E extend far beyond enhanced web browsing speeds. By employing multi-user, multiple-input, multiple-output technology, for instance, Wi-Fi 6E enables simultaneous data transmission to multiple devices. It optimizes network performance in a way that’s particularly vital for employees juggling various devices during videoconferences. Cisco notes on its website that, with MU-MIMO, “There are no more bottlenecks. Devices get on and off the network quicker, allowing more devices to be served.”
Using orthogonal frequency-division multiple access, Wi-Fi 6E partitions channels into smaller subchannels, enabling more efficient data transmission. This is similar to a supermarket having “four checkout lines for groceries instead of one,” notes Silex Technology on its website. This is especially valuable in crowded office environments because it ensures stable and reliable connections without interference.
