What is IEEE 802.11bn and where is it up to?
IEEE 802.11bn is an amendment being developed by Task Group bn of the IEEE 802.11 working group, under the title Ultra High Reliability (UHR). It follows 802.11be, which defined Extremely High Throughput (EHT) and is known as Wi-Fi 7. Industry commentary expects 802.11bn to be known as Wi-Fi 8.
The task group's public status page reports, as of its September 2026 meeting:
- The initial working group letter ballot on Draft 1.0 was approved in July 2025.
- Draft 2.0 completed a working group letter ballot in July 2026. The group reports resolving roughly 900 comments in July 2026 and about 1,850 comments in September 2026.
- Draft 2.1 was generated from the September 2026 comment resolutions.
The projected timeline on the same page is:
| Milestone | Projected |
|---|---|
| Draft 3.0 working group letter ballot | January 2027 |
| Initial IEEE SA ballot (Draft 4.0) | May 2027 |
| Final 802.11 working group and 802 executive committee approval | March 2028 |
| RevCom and IEEE SA Standards Board approval | May 2028 |
Projected dates in standards work can move. A September 2025 industry article from the standards community suggested first products in late 2027 or 2028, after further drafts and interoperability testing.
What does Ultra High Reliability actually target?
The project objectives are measured against 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7). The headline targets are:
- Throughput: at least one mode of operation that increases throughput by 25%, measured at the MAC data service access point at one signal-to-interference-plus-noise level.
- Tail latency: a 25% reduction in latency at the 95th percentile of the latency distribution. This is about the slowest moments, not the average.
- Packet loss: a 25% reduction in lost MAC protocol data units, including when a device moves between access points (BSS transitions).
- Power: a mechanism to reduce power use by access points, including mobile access points, plus improved peer-to-peer operation.
Industry commentary also points to coordination between neighbouring access points, which can hand over transmit opportunities within milliseconds, and smoother roaming between access points. These features are still being refined in the draft, so final details may differ from early descriptions.
Why do these targets matter for events and temporary sites?
Event networks rarely fail because the headline speed is too low. They fail at the worst moment: when the room fills, when everyone moves at once, or when a keynote ends and hundreds of people pick up their phones together. The 802.11bn objectives map closely onto those problems.
| Event problem | Related 802.11bn objective |
|---|---|
| Ticket scanners and card readers dropping as staff walk between zones | 25% less packet loss during transitions between access points |
| Video calls and live polls stuttering in a full room | 25% lower 95th-percentile latency |
| Dense expo halls where neighbouring access points compete for airtime | Coordination between access points (under development in the draft) |
| Battery-powered or vehicle-mounted access points at outdoor sites | Power saving for access points, including mobile access points |
Reliability at the tail is what matters to a payment terminal or a scanner. A transaction that waits too long feels like a failed transaction to the customer at the stall, even if average speeds on the network look healthy. For the same reason, our EFTPOS payment networks keep terminals on their own network with a backup path.
Should event organisers wait for Wi-Fi 8?
No. With final approval projected for 2028, Wi-Fi 8 is not a factor for events in the 2026 to 2027 season, and it will take time to appear in guest phones and laptops after products launch. Network performance also depends on the client devices: a new access point cannot give older phones and terminals features they do not support.
The reliability problems Wi-Fi 8 targets can already be reduced with sound design on current Wi-Fi generations:
- plan for about 50 active devices per access point and about 900 m² per access point in open areas, adding access points for device count in crowded spaces
- allow 1.5 to 2 devices per staff member and about 1 device per attendee at public events
- wire access points back to PoE switches rather than relying on wireless mesh links in busy areas (see mesh vs wired access points)
- separate guest, staff, payment and production traffic onto different networks
- budget about 1.5 Mbps each way per video call, and 10 to 20 Mbps of stable upload per live stream with 1.5 to 2 times headroom
- survey the site before the event, as part of site survey and coverage planning
What about 6 GHz and Australian rules?
A new Wi-Fi standard does not change Australian spectrum rules. Those are set by the ACMA, and any Wi-Fi 8 equipment sold here will need to meet the rules for the bands it uses.
- Current 6 GHz rules: the ACMA's 2022 outcomes paper on 6 GHz radio local area networks allows low power indoor devices up to 24 dBm EIRP, indoors only, and very low power devices up to 14 dBm EIRP, which may be used anywhere.
- Standard power under review: in October 2026 the ACMA published a next steps consultation paper on automatic frequency coordination in the 5925 to 6585 MHz range. We covered the background in our 6 GHz standard power article.
- Outdoor events today: because low power indoor operation is limited to indoor use, outdoor event coverage generally relies on 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz, with very low power 6 GHz suited to short range.
Planning a conference, expo or outdoor site for 2027? Send the floor plan and expected attendance through our contact page, and see event WiFi hire for how we plan and install temporary networks on current equipment.
Questions people ask
Is Wi-Fi 8 available now?
There is no final standard yet. IEEE 802.11bn is in draft, and the task group projects final working group approval in March 2028 and IEEE SA Standards Board approval in May 2028. Products marketed before then are based on draft specifications.
Is Wi-Fi 8 faster than Wi-Fi 7?
One objective is a mode of operation with 25% more throughput than Wi-Fi 7 under defined conditions, but the main focus of 802.11bn is reliability: lower latency at the 95th percentile and less packet loss, including while devices roam.
Will Wi-Fi 8 fix roaming problems at events?
One 802.11bn objective is a 25% reduction in packet loss, including during transitions between access points. The benefit needs both access points and client devices that support the new features, so good design remains the main fix for roaming problems in the meantime.
Should we upgrade event equipment for Wi-Fi 8?
Not for events in 2026 or 2027. The standard is projected for final approval in 2028, and guest devices will take time to adopt it. Correct access point numbers, wired backhaul and separate networks make a bigger difference now.
Does Wi-Fi 8 change the 6 GHz rules in Australia?
No. Spectrum rules are set by the ACMA. Low power indoor 6 GHz use is limited to indoors, very low power devices may be used anywhere, and the ACMA is consulting on standard power operation with automatic frequency coordination.
Sources
- IEEE P802.11 Task Group bn (UHR) meeting update and project timeline
- Mobile Europe: Wi-Fi 8, how close are we to a final standard (September 2025)
- ACMA: Outcomes paper, Proposed updates to the LIPD class licence for 6 GHz RLANs (March 2022)
- ACMA: Automatic Frequency Coordination in the 5925 to 6585 MHz frequency range, next steps consultation paper (October 2026)
Event dates, prices and product details can change. Check the organiser or manufacturer before you plan around them. Planning figures are starting points; every network is confirmed against the actual site.