IEEE Publishes 802.11ah-2016 Standard Amendment Extending Range and Improving Energy Efficiency in the Sub 1 GHz Band

IEEE and the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) announced the availability of the IEEE 802.11ah-2016 standard amendment, providing for an extended range Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) in the sub 1 GHz band. IEEE 802.11ah-2016 significantly lowers propagation loss through free space, walls and other obstructions, and offers a networking alternative to augment the heavily congested 2.4 GHz band and the shorter-range 5 GHz band used today. This is critical for smart home and many other applications.