Qualcomm Introduces Immersive Home Platform for Next-Generation Mesh Wi-Fi Networks

Qualcomm Technologies unveiled the Qualcomm Immersive Home Platform, a successor to the company’s groundbreaking mesh networking platform. Designed to deploy gigabit-speed wireless performance to every room in the home in form factors as small as the palm, these devices are cost-effective enough to target low consumer price points. This engineering feat is achieved through a novel modular architecture approach, significant advancements in-network packet processing technology, and integration of next-generation Wi-Fi 6 and 6E.

In the face of skyrocketing home data demands, Immersive Home Platforms offer four distinct product tiers. These tiers grant unprecedented design flexibility to manufacturers and broadband carriers motivated to embrace Wi-Fi 6 and 6E mesh architectures comprehensively across their entire product portfolio. As home network performance has become mission-critical, Qualcomm Technologies is meeting the challenge to provide corner-to-corner Gigabit wireless performance, to ensure every meeting is productive, every classroom is engaged, and every device is connected.

Before COVID-19, the proliferation of Wi-Fi-enabled products in the home and increasingly HD, 4K, and soon 8K video meant an increasing focus on more capable Wi-Fi access points by consumers and service providers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, network needs became even more pronounced with many Wi-Fi networks stressed by the shift to more work, education, and entertainment from home. Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E mesh network solutions such as the Qualcomm Immersive Home Platforms are critical to enabling Wi-Fi access point vendors to provide the range, data rates, and capacity now required in many homes.

Wi-Fi’s popularity has created increasingly diverse and densely populated Wi-Fi environments, including home networks which must now support many demanding applications simultaneously. The capabilities of Wi-Fi 6E, such as gigabit speeds, low latency, and high capacity, will benefit users where they now need it most and allow Wi-Fi devices to operate efficiently in the most dynamic home connectivity settings.

Qualcomm Immersive Home 310 Series

Representing the Qualcomm Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6 platforms within the portfolio, the 310 Series offerings are designed to simultaneously leverage all three bands of spectrum to support IoT-class devices (2.4 GHz), today’s legacy media devices (5GHz), and enable congestion-relieving migration of node-to-node backhaul traffic from 5 GHz to the 6 GHz band, while ensuring the network is prepared to support devices supporting emerging 6 GHz applications (VR/XR, live video sharing/streaming, real-time gaming).

Qualcomm Immersive Home 318 Platform:

• Advanced 8-stream Tri-Band in a 2x2 (2.4 GHz) + 2x2 (5 GHz) + 4x4 (6 GHz) configuration, for a total of 7.8 Gbps total available PHY rate.
• Multi-gigabit wireless throughput for high-performance clients.
• Support for 160 MHz channels in 5/6 GHz bands.
• 4x4 Wi-Fi 6E configuration in the 6 GHz band delivers enhanced performance, range, and/or client count.

Qualcomm Immersive Home 316 Platform:

• Advanced 6-stream Tri-Band in a 2x2 (2.4 GHz) + 2x2 (5 GHz) + 2x2 (6 GHz) configuration, for a total of 5.4 Gbps total available PHY rate.
• Multi-gigabit wireless throughput for high-performance clients.
• Support for 160 MHz channels in 5/6 GHz bands.
• Qualcomm Immersive Home 210 Series.

Representing the Dual-Band Wi-Fi 6 platforms within the portfolio, these offerings are designed to offer immediate and significant performance and cost benefits to existing mesh providers.

Qualcomm Immersive Home 216 Platform:

• Innovative 6-stream Wi-Fi 6 in a 2x2 (2.4 GHz) + 4x4 (5 GHz) configuration, for a total of 5.4 Gbps total available PHY rate.
• Multi-gigabit wireless throughput for high-performance clients.
• Support for 160 MHz channels in 5 GHz bands.
• 4x4 Wi-Fi 6 configuration in the 5 GHz band delivers enhanced performance, range, and/or client count.

Qualcomm Immersive Home 214 Platform:

• Innovative 4-stream Wi-Fi 6 in a 2x2 (2.4 GHz) + 2x2 (5 GHz) configuration, for a total of 3.0 Gbps total available PHY rate.
• Multi-gigabit wireless throughput for high-performance clients.
• Support for 160 MHz channels in 5 GHz bands.

In both dual and tri-band series, Qualcomm Immersive Home Platforms bring significant differentiation derived from decades of R&D and proven infrastructure engineering expertise across multiple proprietary connectivity portfolios, including:

• High-performance integration and optimization: Qualcomm Immersive Home Platforms can deliver Gigabit wireless in a form factor highly optimized for size, scale, and performance. For instance, when compared to Qualcomm IPQ4xxx family (found in the majority of Wi-Fi 5-generation mesh systems), Qualcomm Immersive Home Platforms can deliver 2.5X throughput per watt - a system-level optimization that keeps industrial designs small, heat profiles cool, and overall device costs low.
• Broad Wi-Fi technology support: Qualcomm Immersive Home Platforms are built to deliver seamless roaming, band/node client steering, and advanced security safeguards across Wi-Fi 4, 5, 6, 6E, and support many of the industry’s leading mesh software protocols including Qualcomm Wi-Fi SON, the OpenSync open-source software, eero’s TrueMesh, and the Wi-Fi Alliance’s Wi-Fi CERTIFIED EasyMesh standard.
• Powerful smart home integration capabilities: Qualcomm Immersive Home Platforms feature advanced Qualcomm Multi-User Traffic Management technologies to balance and support all the Wi-Fi connected devices in a modern smart home, while high-performance Bluetooth integration enables seamless onboarding and integration of advanced applications leveraging either connectivity technology.
• Ultra-low latency enabled: Qualcomm Immersive Home Platforms can support, in certain configurations with 6 GHz operation, a new class of emerging latency-sensitive applications like mobile gaming and XR through latency reduction up to 8x in congested environments and wireless VR-class latency of <3ms.

Company Testimonials:

1. Askey customers demand high-performance home networks that make working and schooling from home as seamless as streaming their favorite movies. This means ultra-fast, reliable Wi-Fi performance, and robust security components. They look forward to continued collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies and the Qualcomm Immersive Home Platforms to continuously evolve the seamless, connected experiences our customers demand.
2. Last-mile technologies such as fiber, coax or even DSL are now reaching the Gigabit mark. These superfast speeds are increasingly becoming a matter of course in the home. AVM welcomes the Qualcomm Immersive Home Platforms, which will give Mesh Wi-Fi a tremendous boost and ensures future-proof performance for wireless communication.
3. Linksys consumers demand high-performance networks that make working and schooling from home a seamless experience. Belkin looks forward to continued collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies to endlessly evolve the portfolios bringing more Wi-Fi 6 and new Wi-Fi 6E products to consumers. Wi-Fi 6E will take their Intelligent Mesh technology to the next level.
4. The launch of the Qualcomm Immersive Home Platform is an advancement for Wi-Fi beyond just better performance. The new platform also enables WiFi Motion sensing applications like home monitoring that bring meaningful value to Wi-Fi users and provide peace of mind beyond just connectivity. Cognitive systems is  proud to be a partner with Qualcomm Technologies and appreciate its collaboration to bolster advanced Wi-Fi technologies like WiFi Motion.
5. As the demand for faster connectivity continues to grow, EnGenius is excited to expand our Wi-Fi 6 solutions to support consumers growing demands within their homes. With the Immersive Home Platform from Qualcomm supporting its devices, EnGenius is bringing the power of Wi-Fi 6 to consumers to meet the ever-growing demands for building future-proof wireless networks within their homes.
6. Eero needs fast, reliable, and secure wifi to deliver these experiences and look forward to continued collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies to provide the performance as per customer’s expectations.
7. NETGEAR customers demand high-performance home networks that make working and schooling from home as seamless as streaming their favorite movies. This means ultra-fast, reliable Wi-Fi performance for every connected device in the home. They look forward to continued collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies to continuously evolve the seamless, connected experiences customers demand with Wi-Fi 6E.
8. The foundation of Plume’s Consumer Experience Management Platform is based on intelligent cloud-controlled OpenSync-enabled devices. Qualcomm Technologies’ Immersive Home Platform products ensure the capacity and controls for flawless connectivity in the home, allowing ISPs to deliver new services, over the top with confidence.
9. TP-Link is excited about Qualcomm Technologies' announcement of the Qualcomm Immersive Home Platforms and recognizes how it will further promote the adoption of Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E. TP-Link customers will experience more diversified mesh networking devices, offering ultra-fast, reliable Wi-Fi, and robust security.
10. WNC offers a product line that pushes the boundaries of the ordinary. By integrating Qualcomm Technologies’ Immersive Home Platform, WNC enables customers to benefit from the latest improvements in mesh networking, including high speeds and Wi-Fi 6 management, creating the most powerful and robust home network.
11. With Xiaomi AIoT Wi-Fi 6 Router products, Xiaomi has designed a line that pushes the boundaries of ordinary. By integrating the Qualcomm Immersive Home Platforms, Xiaomi will allow customers to benefit from the latest improvements in mesh networking, including high speeds and Wi-Fi 6 management, creating a more powerful and robust home network.