Charter Becomes First U.S. Broadband Provider To Launch Next Generation Router Delivering Faster Wi-Fi Speeds, Connecting More Concurrent Devices And Providing Better Coverage Within The Home

Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR) today announced the introduction of its next generation Spectrum Wi-Fi router featuring 802.11ax technology. Charter is the first U.S.-based broadband provider to introduce the next generation wireless standard, which increases Wi-Fi speeds, allows for more concurrently connected devices and better battery life for those devices, and improves Wi-Fi coverage in the home.

"Our new Spectrum Wi-Fi router with 802.11ax is the most advanced wireless router in the world and firmly positions Charter as the leader in advanced wireless solutions," said Jim Blackley, Executive Vice President, Engineering and Information Technology for Charter Communications. "With multi-gigabit throughput, 802.11ax unleashes the full potential of Charter's fiber-rich network, creating a better in-home and entertainment experience and further enabling next generation technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and advanced IoT-enabled applications."

Unlike previous Wi-Fi standards, 802.11ax was specifically designed to work in congested Wi-Fi environments, delivering our customers a better quality wireless experience on more connected devices, even in densely covered areas. With its support for broader coverage and especially with its time-scheduling features, 802.11ax begins to look more like cellular technology in terms of its efficiency and application sensitivity support. 802.11ax enhances the home Wi-Fi customer experience as the number of connected wireless devices continues to grow and today's wireless networks are increasingly suffering from issues related to congestion and interference.

Charter is also developing a converged wireless router solution to be introduced in 2019 that will bring further enhancements to the Spectrum Wi-Fi router including the ability to utilize licensed spectrum and several IoT radio technologies into a single form factor design. These additions seek to Future Proof the router by maximizing the benefits of both unlicensed and licensed technologies inside the home. These advanced IoT radios will facilitate the adoption of future IoT applications that continue to revolutionize and enrich the lives of millions.

Additionally, Charter is taking steps to simplify the setup and configuration of residential wireless environments. In early 2019, Spectrum Wi-Fi routers will receive a Wi-Fi Radio Resource Management (RRM) capability that will automatically and proactively optimize the in-home Wi-Fi environment using a built-in cloud-based data analytics engine.

For more information on Spectrum's full suite of advanced broadband services, please visit www.spectrum.com, and be sure to watch our brief animation about the 802.11ax router.

Source: Charter Communications media announcement