Solutions

From compute and storage servers to data processing, machine learning (ML) and IoT devices, discover how UC Five Cloud Solutions drive productivity in major industries.

Secure access Service edge (Sase)


From compute and storage servers to data processing, machine learning (ML) and IoT devices, discover how Lumen® Edge Cloud Solutions drive productivity in major industries.

Sd-Wan


Unleash your network’s potential and drive digital innovation with secure, scalable, high-performance SD-WAN solutions.

Wifi 7


Wi-Fi 7 is the latest and greatest in the world of wireless connectivity. It offers users faster, more reliable internet speeds and improved connectivity.

Collaboration


Excel in today’s hybrid workplace with Voice and UC&C solutions designed for optimal performance.

Optimized Cloud Network


Cato embedded a full security stack, SSE 360, into the cloud platform to address the distribution, scaling, resiliency, and enforcement of unified security policies everywhere and on everyone. 

Adaptive Networks


Cloud‑like flexibility, scalability and built‑in security to minimize infrastructure costs.

Professional Services


Our team uses decades of hands-on experience across specialized areas of expertise to solve even the toughest technology problems.

Scale intelligent customer experiences with conversational AI

Are you ready to harness the power of conversational AI to better serve your customers and optimize your employee workflows? 

The Uc Five Communications Platform is uniquely designed with conversational AI in mind:

Speed to market


If you’re building yourself, our no-code visual tools make it easy to deploy new scripts and make IVR changes in real time

Trained for telephony


Speech-to-text models are built and trained on top of industry specific audio, delivering market leading performance for customer voice interactions

Natural language understanding (NLU)


Our NLU engine is uniquely built to understand the complexities of everyday customer and agent voice calls

Connected call flows


Utilize native integrations with the most widely used cloud-based applications; leverage APIs to remove paperwork time and increase efficiency

AI VIRTUAL ASSISTANT

Provide instant answers—and gratification—with virtual assistants your customers will actually enjoy using

Answer every customer call immediately through AI-enhanced, voice-driven conversations in every language. 

AI STUDIO

Design, create, and deploy customer engagement experiences

AI Studio is a low-code conversation design tool that operates in natural language and empowers developers and non-developers.

CONTACT CENTER AUGMENTATION

Boost your Contact Center intelligence without replacing your existing platform

Easily integrate real-time AI, new channels, and programmable building blocks, like APIs for Voice, SMS, Chat and more to innovate fast and delight customers.

CUSTOMER STORY

Customers still receive a high level of service and get their food the way that they want it; the only difference is that the interaction is with an AI system, not a human.

Restaurant Chain.

Optimize communication. Maximize collaboration.

Excel in today’s hybrid workplace with Voice and UC&C solutions designed for optimal performance.

Dedicated bare metal. Deployed in minutes.

Lumen® Edge Bare Metal offers flexible, on-demand access to a distributed network of high-capacity bare edge metal servers with rapid spin up, pay-as-you-go pricing flexibility and full orchestration control.

Edge technology stacked for business

Communicate and collaborate without boundaries

Learn how Lumen Solutions for Microsoft Teams can help you deliver seamless, cost-effective communication across channels.

Reduce system complexity and streamline workflows

Explore our next-gen collaboration solutions

Lumen Solutions for Zoom

Easily engage customers, partners and employees with a secure, video-first solution.

Lumen Solutions for Microsoft Teams

Communicate and collaborate without boundaries with a single, managed UC&C solution for your business.

Lumen Solutions for Webex

Streamline operations with a single communications solution that scales easily with simplified, enterprise-wide administration.

Lumen® Enablement Services for UC&C

Get trusted, reliable expertise from adoption to connectivity with managed services for your UC&C solution.

Lumen® Cloud Communications Specialty Lines

Upgrade phone lines for alarms, elevators and other safety systems with an all-inclusive replacement system for current POTS lines.

Lumen® Voice Complete®

Simplify communications and maximize workforce productivity with cloud-ready integrated voice and SIP trunking solutions.

What is Wi-Fi 7? How do I upgrade?

Wireless technology has come a long way since the inception of Wi-Fi®. We have seen significant performance, speed, and reliability advances with each new generation. Wi-Fi 7 is the latest and greatest in the world of wireless connectivity. It offers users faster, more reliable internet speeds and improved connectivity.

Why is Wi-Fi 7 so fast? - A brief overview

Wi-Fi 7 is the latest wireless technology standard designed to offer faster speeds, increased capacity, and improved connectivity. It operates in the 6 GHz frequency band, providing more available data transmission channels and reduced interference from other devices. Compared to previous Wi-Fi generations, such as Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 6, and Wi-Fi 5, Wi-Fi 7 offers significant advancements in wireless technology.

Wi-Fi 7, also known as 802.11be, was developed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). It is the successor to Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), bringing numerous enhancements to wireless connectivity specifications. Wi-Fi 7 operates in the 6 GHz band, providing wider channels and less congestion than previous generations. In addition, Wi-Fi 7 supports the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz wireless bands, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of devices. This allows for higher transfer speeds, reduced latency, and increased overall network capacity, as seen in the case of Wi-Fi 6E.

This new standard utilizes advanced technologies such as Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO), and preamble puncturing to improve throughput, lower latency, and increase overall network efficiency.

What is the 6 GHz band?


6 GHz band is a new frequency range dedicated to Wi-Fi 7. It offers more than double the spectrum available to Wi-Fi 5 and 6, providing additional capacity to support more devices and higher data rates. This expanded frequency range is less crowded, which means fewer collisions and less interference.

Wi-Fi 7 vs. Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 6, and Wi-Fi 5



Wi-Fi 7 builds upon the advancements made in Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 6, and Wi-Fi 5. Wi-Fi 6E introduced support for the 6 GHz band. Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 5 improved performance and capacity. However, Wi-Fi 7 offers significant improvements over these previous generations, with faster speeds, larger capacity, and less interference. As a result, Wi-Fi 7 is set to become the leading Wi-Fi technology for years to come.

What is the speed of Wi-Fi 7?



One of the standout advantages of Wi-Fi 7 is its high-speed transmission capability, offering speeds of up to 46 GBit/s. This significant increase in data rate enables faster downloads, seamless video streaming, and smoother online gaming, providing users with a quicker, more responsive internet experience.

Is Wi-Fi 7 faster than Wi-Fi 6?



Wi-Fi 7 delivers faster wireless speeds than its predecessors, with a maximum potential throughput of up to 46 Gbps. WIFI 6 had a maximum speed of 9.6 Gbps. The technology offers faster and more consistent speeds, even in high-density environments where multiple devices are connected simultaneously.

Does Wi-Fi 7 increase capacity and throughput?



Wi-Fi 7 significantly improves capacity, leading to better performance in crowded networks. It supports up to 8x8 MU-MIMO (Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output), allowing more simultaneous data streams between the wireless device and the access point.


This feature particularly benefits networks with many connected devices, such as smart home devices, gaming routers, or offices with video conferencing and touchscreen TVs.

What are the advantages of Wi-Fi 7?


Wi-Fi 7 has many advantages that can transform how we connect and interact with the digital world. Here are some of the key benefits:


  • Increased Speed: Wi-Fi 7 offers groundbreaking advancements in speed, allowing for faster data transfer and seamless streaming of ultra-high-definition content.
  • Enhanced Capacity: With Wi-Fi 7, networks can support a massive number of connected devices simultaneously. This is particularly beneficial for IoT applications, facilitating smart homes, smart cities, and intelligent automation on a grand scale.
  • Reduced Latency: Wi-Fi 7 significantly reduces latency, enabling real-time social gaming and competitive multiplayer gamer experiences with unparalleled responsiveness.
  • Improved Reliability: Wi-Fi 7 offers improved reliability, providing stable and consistent connections even in busy indoor spaces with hundreds of mobile devices, smartphones, laptops, etc., and nonstop wireless noise and interference.
  • Support for Immersive Experiences: The advanced capabilities of Wi-Fi 7 enable immersive VR applications and augmented reality experiences, opening up new possibilities for entertainment and interaction.
  • QAM. Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) is a method for transmitting and receiving data in radio-frequency waves. The higher the QAM, the more information you can pack in. Wi-Fi 7 supports 4K-QAM, an advanced modulation scheme that can boost peak rates to increase throughput and capacity. Wi-Fi 6 supported 1024-QAM, and Wi-Fi 5 was limited to 256-QAM.

 

RUCKUS Networks is at the forefront of this latest advancement, preparing partners and customers for the Wi-Fi 7 era with our latest Wi-Fi 7 access points and compatible switches.

What is the advantage of 6 GHz and 320 MHz Channels?


The 6 GHz band and 320 MHz channels bring significant advantages to Wi-Fi technology, particularly with the advent of Wi-Fi 7. Here's how:


  • More Spectrum: The 6 GHz band provides additional spectrum for Wi-Fi use. This is crucial as the number of Wi-Fi devices grows, and more spectrum is needed to accommodate them. In some regions like the USA, up to 1,200 MHz of additional spectrum in the 6 GHz band has been approved.
  • Wider Channels: The 320 MHz wide channels, which are possible in the 6 GHz band, allow for higher data throughput. This means more data can be transferred at the same time, leading to faster speeds and more efficient use of the spectrum.
  • Less Congestion: Wider channels can help reduce congestion, especially in densely populated areas where many devices, smartphones, peripherals, and modems compete for the same spectrum. This leads to improved performance and reliability of Wi-Fi connections.
  • Support for Advanced Features: The 6 GHz band and 320 MHz channels support advanced features of Wi-Fi 7, such as Extremely High Throughput. This can lead to speeds exceeding what you could expect with Wi-Fi 6E.

Is Wi-Fi 7 energy efficient?


Wi-Fi 7 devices implement power-saving operations such as Target Wake Time (TWT) and Enhanced Target Wake Time (eTWT), which allow devices to schedule their wake-up times, minimize unnecessary power consumption during idle periods, help conserve battery life, prolong device usage, and reduce energy waste.


This power-saving mechanism is especially beneficial for mobile, smart home, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.


Is Wi-Fi 7 worth it?



Upgrading to Wi-Fi 7 can bring significant benefits, especially if your current network is struggling to keep up with the demands of modern applications and devices. Here are some factors to consider:


  • Performance: Wi-Fi 7 offers substantial speed, capacity, and latency improvements over previous generations. If your current network is slow or congested, upgrading could provide a noticeable boost in performance.
  • Future-Proofing: With more devices becoming Wi-Fi 7 compatible, upgrading now could help future-proof your network and help ensure it can support the latest devices and applications.
  • IoT and Smart Devices: If you have many IoT or smart devices or plan to add more, Wi-Fi 7's ability to support many devices simultaneously could be a significant advantage.
  • Energy Efficiency: Wi-Fi 7's energy-saving features can help extend the battery life of your devices and reduce overall power consumption.

How do I choose a Wi-Fi 7 access point?


To upgrade to Wi-Fi 7, you'll need access points that support the new standard. Several manufacturers, such as RUCKUS, have already released Wi-Fi 7 APs, offering faster speeds, wider channels, and enhanced user experience.


When designing a Wi-Fi 7 Network, consider throughput, channel width, firmware support, compatibility with your existing devices, and the availability of multi-gig LAN ports (2.5 Gbps to 10 Gbps) and multi-gig WAN ports.


It's also worth considering mesh systems, which provide seamless coverage throughout your home, eliminating dead zones and providing a consistent internet connection.


Is Wi-Fi 7 good for businesses?


Wi-Fi 7 brings a host of benefits to businesses across various industries. Here are a few key advantages:


  • Dramatically Better Throughput: Wi-Fi 7 offers significantly improved throughput compared to Wi-Fi 6. With wider channels and more significant 6 GHz capacity gains, Wi-Fi 7 can deliver peak rates exceeding 40 Gbps, which is four times the throughput of Wi-Fi 6. This means faster data transfer, smoother streaming, and improved network performance.
  • Wireless Link Aggregation with MLO: Multi-link operation (MLO) allows a Wi-Fi 7 access point (AP) and a user device to connect over multiple bands simultaneously. This link aggregation significantly increases throughput, reduces latency, and improves connection reliability, which is crucial for businesses that rely on stable and fast internet connections.
  • Interference Management with Preamble Puncturing: Wi-Fi 7 can transmit a "punctured" portion of a channel if legacy users are using a part of that channel spectrum. This feature allows Wi-Fi 7 to support a 320 MHz channel—double that of Wi-Fi 6—without letting interference degrade performance. This is particularly beneficial for businesses operating in crowded wireless environments.
  • Support for Low Latency Applications: Wi-Fi 7 technologies support time-sensitive networking (TSN) to provide the deterministic latency needed for advanced next-gen applications like AR and VR. This is particularly beneficial for businesses in industries like gaming, entertainment, healthcare, hospitality, and design, where these applications are commonly used.

Proven technology expertise and results you can trust

Our team uses decades of hands-on experience across specialized areas of expertise to solve even the toughest technology problems.

Services for the digital world

Lumen enables you to innovate, scale, drive efficiencies and achieve more in your global applications infrastructure with powerful advisory, project and ongoing management services. Learn more about our hybrid approach for digital workloads in the report Technology Transformation with Managed and Professional Services.

Edge & Applications


Easily design, deploy and manage distributed workloads on the Lumen Platform—from the public cloud to the network edge.



Network & Communications


Support workers in virtually any environment with secure, high-performance networks and applications delivered by an experienced technology partner.

Smart Solutions



Leverage our deep technology expertise and the power of the Lumen Platform to build enhanced end-to-end experiences for your customers, citizens, employees and more.

Top-tier solutions. Streamlined control.

Minimize the complexity and risks of network transformation with Lumen® SD‑WAN. Secure and coordinate workloads across the full range of connectivity types on a single, automated platform with centralized visibility and control. As the first stop on the road to SASE (Secure Access Service Edge), learn how to streamline your network operations with SD‑WAN.

Secure and automate workloads to scale intelligently

Unleash your network’s potential and drive digital innovation with secure, scalable, high-performance SD-WAN solutions.

Enhanced resiliency

Fail-safe your hybrid network by deploying active connectivity that’s balanced under normal conditions and automatically reroutes if one connection goes down.

Accelerated network agility

Manage changes to routing and user policies, traffic thresholds and security controls in near real-time across your entire network.

≤100 Gbps


connectivity with speeds starting at 10 Mbps

27,000+


worldwide branch deployments

#1


peered global network

Streamline your networking experience

Cloud‑like flexibility, scalability and built‑in security to minimize infrastructure costs.

Deliver fast, on‑demand connectivity across locations.

Help secure your data, optimize application performance and improve digital experiences using high‑bandwidth connections with continuous threat monitoring and mitigation.

How Next‑Gen Tech Powers IT Transformation


Learn how three key trends are helping businesses create high‑revenue generating innovations through network modernization.

SASE readiness check


Take the first step to accelerating productivity and growth, discover where you stand in your SASE journey and find a solution that aligns with your business.

Flex your network


Streamline your networking experience with Lumen® Network‑as‑a‑Service (NaaS) featuring on‑demand connections, real‑time DDoS protection and pay‑as‑you‑go pricing.

5 minutes


time to activate Lumen® Internet® On‑Demand

24/7


threat monitoring and mitigation

On demand. With peace of mind.


Rapidly deploy, scale and secure networking services. Only Lumen offers Black Lotus Labs threat management built right into the network layer—minimizing the risk of downtime to help keep your business running.

SSE 360 – Security as a Service

Cato SASE Cloud Platform include a cloud-native security stack, SSE 360. It is based on Cato’s Cato Single Pass Cloud Engine (SPACE) architecture and converges the following capabilities: network segmentation and zero-trust (FWaaS), threat prevention (SWG, IPS, NGAM, DNS Security, RBI), and application and data protection (CASB, DLP, ZTNA). Cato’s SSE 360 is built to decrypt and inspect all enterprise traffic, without the need for sizing, patching, or upgrading of appliances and other point solutions. Security policies and events analysis are centrally and uniformly managed using the self-service Cato Management Application.

Multi-Layer Threat prevention

Cato implements defense in depth with multi-layer threat prevention capabilities. Secure Web Gateway (SWG) protects users against risky web sites, phishing attacks and malware delivery. Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) detects and stops malicious traffic based on threat intelligence feeds, AI/ML inline controls, and deep heuristics that leverage granular context including identify, network, application, and data attributes. Next-generation Anti-Malware (NGAM) engine inspects every payload to stop inbound infections. DNS security inspects DNS queries and responses to prevent DNS tunneling and to block phishing attacks, malicious domains, malware communication and other DNS-based threat vectors. Remote Browser Isolation (RBI) further protects users by directing traffic to high-risk web sites into an isolated cloud-based browser session, thus minimizing the risk of endpoint compromise.

Protect Everywhere

Cato embedded a full security stack, SSE 360, into the cloud platform to address the distribution, scaling, resiliency, and enforcement of unified security policies everywhere and on everyone. Cato further extends protection to the endpoint for end-to-end threat prevention and detection.

Network Segmentation and Zero Trust

The most fundamental security capability of Cato’s SSE 360 is Firewall as a Service (FWaaS). FWaaS controls traffic flow, across all ports and protocols, and in all directions both WAN (east-west), and the Internet (south-north). Firewall policies are used to segment the network based on network resources (such as VLANs) and logical elements such as identity, organizational units, applications, and services. Network segmentation in conjunction with continuous traffic inspection enables customers to sustain a zero-trust security posture.

Application and Data Protection

Cato enforces application access control and data protection on all access, both inline and out-of-band through SaaS API integrations. Cato Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) provides broad visibility to the usage of both sanctioned and unsanctioned (“Shadow IT”) applications and the ability to enforce access policies based on application, user, and device risk. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) engine enforces access policies and granular actions on sensitive data across on-premises and cloud destinations from corporate and BYOD devices.

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