WiFi 6E

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The solution

The outcome

The challenge

The outcome

Since the January 2020 launch of MCTV Whole-Home WiFi, Powered by Plume HomePass, MCTV has acquired more than 4,000 new subscribers. More than 1,000 opted for self-installation with a 100% success rate and did not require any customer support assistance. Recent data shows a marked increase in MCTV customer satisfaction, reduced customer support calls, and a higher rate of call resolutions by CCRs. MCTV reports that customers find the app easy to navigate and say Plume powered WiFi exceeds their expectations. Before partnering with Plume, the amount of time it took CCRs to troubleshoot and resolve customer complaints was cumbersome. Now, as a result of Plume’s CEM Platform diagnostic capabilities, the speed with which they are able to resolve customer issues over the phone has dramatically increased. CCRs have tested the service in their own homes and are so satisfied with it themselves that they’re now more likely to sell it. As a result of its engagement with Plume, MCTV is once again “going the extra smile” by delivering not only more reliable service to customers, but game- changing, smart home experiences designed to improve, personalize, and secure their customers’ home networks.

The challenge

MCTV takes pride in the quality of experience it provides and was not satisfied with the volume of WiFi-related customer concerns it was receiving. The frustrations involved both WiFi-coverage issues and throughput. Determined to improve the customer experience, decrease call volume, and reduce truck rolls, MCTV set out to find a solution. What they sought would help them service their customers above and beyond, be easy to troubleshoot, and would also provide customers with a way to independently manage their WiFi. Furthermore, MCTV wanted a solution that would work seamlessly with its HFC plant and GPON plant so that it could use the same product across platforms. Finding a partner who could meet all these needs proved challenging. After thoroughly reviewing options, Plume was the only one up to the task.

The solution

With Plume’s help, MCTV was able to launch a premium, add-on option to their Home High-Speed Internet package. MCTV Whole-Home WiFi, Powered by Plume HomePass extends wireless coverage easily and evenly, spreading a strong signal at higher speeds throughout customer homes. HomePass’s Adapt service learns, self-optimizes, and intelligently steers the signal from room to room and device to device. The solution also offers AI-powered cyber-security, advanced access controls, and better visibility into network issues. Instead of setting up technician visits, customers can opt for self-installation. MCTV delivers hardware to their homes and customers can set up their own service in under five minutes through the HomePass app. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, having Plume already integrated into its system meant that MCTV could support the increased demand for contactless self-install and remote troubleshooting. MCTV gained access to the full Consumer Experience Management (CEM) Platform, which enables unrivaled visibility into the home network along with Tier 1 and 2&3 Support tools. Once the HomePass service is up and running, Plume’s suite of back-end applications assess problems, offer simple solutions to subscribers, and, through similar diagnostic tools, simplify the process of customer support training for MCTV Customer Care Representatives (CCRs).

When WiFi 6 first arrived, many thought it would eliminate the need for WiFi management. In reality, taking advantage of the power of WiFi 6 meant more management, not less.

Unlocking the potential of WiFi 6E

Now WiFi 6E promises to open up even more of the spectrum. Will it end the need for management? Quite the opposite. To fully tap into the potential of the expanded spectrum, we must embrace agile, adaptive, cloud-, and AI-based management that can keep up with the dynamic transition to 6 GHz. This means that Communications Service Providers (CSPs) must invest in the necessary capabilities to satisfy the sophisticated network management needs of today and tomorrow.

WiFi 6E management: 4 ways to get it wrong

Not allowing for extenders

Locking the backhaul to 6 GHz

Locking the backhaul to 5 GHz

Barring client devices on backhaul channels

6 GHz link weak or impossible, device may need to fall back to 5 GHz

To achieve that, you need a system that can:

Without automatic frequency control (AFC), the 6 GHz band will need to use a low-power mode, which has a significantly shorter range than the 5 GHz band. The optimum solution is to bring 6E extenders to the homes that need them.

Identify homes with coverage problems.

Intelligently manage homes where extenders are added.

Multiple hops in backhaul on same channel interfere with each other

You might need to deploy even more extenders in homes than you did for 5 GHz WiFi.

It seems logical to use the 6 GHz band for the backhaul between access points (APs) in the home. But, simply placing all backhaul links on 6 GHz is not so wise. Why?

As data travels through the multiple hops in a home, all on the same 6 GHz channel, the self-interference between hops divides the throughput down by the number of hops.

All 6 GHz clients will share channel with all 6 GHz backhaul links in home

Multiple hops in backhaul on same channel interfere with each other

Fixing all the hops in the 5 GHz band incurs some of the same problems. In particular, as there are more hops, self-interference again reduces throughput.

Having the backhaul loaded only on a 5 GHz channel makes the system more vulnerable to interference from neighbors.

The wide 5 GHz channels all require radar detection and radar events are more common than you might imagine. Along with real radars, a variety of interference scenarios, including from overlapping WiFi networks, can trigger what looks like radar, sending the network scrambling to get out of the way and disrupting service.

5 GHz clients will share channel with all 5 GHz backhaul links in home

6 GHz client must connect via 5 GHz, or connect at great distance

5 GHz 3x3 client must connect to “secondary” 5 GHz 2x2 radio

Many of today’s multi-AP systems strictly segregate the connections between APs (backhaul) and connections to your customers’ devices (fronthaul). This means that:

Fixing all the hops in the 5 GHz band incurs some of the same problems. In particular, as there are more hops, self-interference again reduces throughput.

If 6 GHz is being used for the connection between two APs, clients will not be able to connect to either of those APs in the 6 GHz band.

The same problem occurs when using 5 GHz channels to connect APs in a segregated system.

How to get it right

Successful WiFi 6E management begins with these four pillars:

Backhaul links on different channels, no self interference

This includes the selection of frequency channels, channel bandwidths, and interconnections between APs. Successful management entails leveraging a flexible and intelligent solution that can search the huge space of potential configurations and choose the one that is truly going to work the best in that particular environment.

Topology management

Steering

Future-proofing

Revitalizing today’s infrastructure

Clients can connect with any radio, whichever gives best performance

Allows use of non-interfering 6 GHz channels among clients in home

Steering covers the selection of which AP WiFi clients should connect to, and the frequency band on which that connection should be made. A good management system will enable the highest throughput with band and client device steering.

By making the right choices now, CSPs can not only satisfy the immediate management needs but put in place the capabilities they will need as WiFi 6 becomes more sophisticated. Additionally, it will ensure CSPs have the networks ready the moment AFC is approved, putting them ahead of the curve.

All WiFi 6E networks will still use the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, and all will have legacy WiFi devices present for many years. Making sure that 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands perform better and revitalizing your existing infrastructure is part of a sound approach to WiFi 6E management.

Dealing with the complexities of WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E will require a holistic solution

Read our whitepaper to learn more about how Plume can help CSPs leverage the ultra-wide 6 GHz spectrum and future-proof their business.

Plume works with CSPs to provide:

A sophisticated, cloud-controlled management system that communicates with and configures the APs in customers’ homes and small businesses.

Access to OpenSync, which enables the deployment of new technology and services faster, using existing hardware.

Optimized network performance management and actionable data insights.

There are two additional downsides to this approach: