At NANOG 95, XKL Founder and CEO Len Bosack will take the stage to explore an important topic for today’s networks: what does the WAN look like in an all-IP world?
Ethernet and fiber remain the backbone, but a single access technology no longer defines the WAN. Instead, it’s being reshaped by the convergence of Wi-Fi, 5G and satellite connectivity, each with its own unique set of strengths and constraints.
Keynote Overview
Bosack will draw on both historical insights and forward-looking trends to inform how enterprises and carriers should approach next-generation WAN design. Key themes include:
- 5G: From hype to reality – How far deployments have come, and where private 5G and edge computing are proving their worth.
- Layering technologies – Why the future isn’t “5G or Wi-Fi,” but “5G and Wi-Fi,” with fiber as the anchor and satellites extending coverage to hard-to-reach locations.
- Constraints to consider – Spectrum efficiency, energy consumption and infrastructure costs, plus the growing need for zero-trust security in distributed networks.
Industry Research That Sets the Stage
Recent studies highlight just how transformative this convergence will be:
- Private 5G + Wi-Fi 7 can boost network efficiency by 75–80% while lowering operational costs by as much as 30–35% over five years.
- Wi-Fi 7 field tests show real-world throughput over 1 Gbps at 40 feet in the 6 GHz band, proving its readiness for dense enterprise environments.
Why It Matters
The WAN is no longer about a single technology, but integration. The organizations that thrive will be those that design networks capable of adapting in real time, balancing performance, efficiency and security.
Bosack’s keynote offers both a historical perspective on how we got here and a strategic roadmap for where the WAN is headed.
If interested in meeting with a member of the XKL team on-site at NANOG 95, please email [email protected].
