Broadcom Announces Industry's First Enterprise Wi-Fi 8 Access Point and Switch Solution for the AI Era
PALO ALTO, Calif., Feb. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO), a global leader in semiconductor and infrastructure software solutions, today announced the industry's first Wi-Fi 8 access point (AP) and switch solution purpose-built with a unified architecture for AI-ready enterprise networks.
Building on Broadcom's first-to-market Wi-Fi 8 radios launched in October 2025, the new enterprise-grade Wi-Fi 8 AP platform is powered by a new accelerated processing unit (APU) chip, the BCM49438, designed to optimize wireless networking and AI acceleration at the enterprise edge. Additionally, Broadcom unveiled an enterprise-grade switch platform powered by a new Ethernet switch, the Trident X3+ BCM56390, with Broadcom's industry-leading multi-gigabit PHY and PoE power sourcing equipment (PSE) chips. Together, these platforms form a unified architecture that maximizes the performance, efficiency and security for the Wi-Fi 8 wireless network in the enterprise.
"As enterprises increasingly rely on AI for critical operations and security, the demand for a robust, intelligent, and secure network infrastructure has never been greater," said Mark Gonikberg, senior vice president and general manager of Broadcom's Wireless and Broadband Communications Division. "Our new end-to-end solution for enterprise Wi-Fi and switching, incorporating Wi-Fi 8, multi-gigabit Ethernet, and edge AI capabilities, provides the essential foundation for organizations to navigate risk and thrive in the AI era."
Next Era of Enterprise Networking
Wi-Fi 8 is set to usher in a new era of connectivity, placing unprecedented demands on network infrastructure. The anticipated increases in bandwidth, the need for ultra-low latency for real-time AI applications, and the explosion of telemetry data from a multitude of connected devices will necessitate a significant upgrade to existing networks. This enhanced infrastructure must extend beyond the access points, requiring advanced switches in the wiring closet capable of handling multi-gigabit speeds, advanced quality of service (QoS), and intelligent processing to support the robust, secure, and AI-driven networks of the future.
The transition to Wi-Fi 8 is occurring amidst significant shifts in enterprise technology and campus demands. Major drivers of network transformation include:
- Growing trend of hybrid work driving substantial increase in network bandwidth demands in both uplink and downlink communications.
- Mounting threats from adversarial AI attacks requiring robust, multi-layered defenses to effectively safeguard corporate and user data.
- Next-generation AI factories demanding ultra-high reliability and low latency connectivity to support real-time operations.
- Operating expense (OpEx) becoming a critical consideration for next-generation network upgrades.
Broadcom is pioneering enterprise network solutions with three major industry firsts to address this shifting landscape:
- Comprehensive, End-to-End Security -- Broadcom's portfolio is the first to implement MACsec across all switch ports and access points, delivering complete, end-to-end security.
- Extensive Analytics -- The Wi-Fi 8 solutions introduce advanced telemetry and analytics engines, covering the entire portfolio from the latest Wi-Fi 8 access points to the campus switching infrastructure.
- Integrated Edge AI -- Advanced AI model acceleration is delivered through an integrated Edge AI/ML engine on the Wi-Fi 8 AP, eliminating the need for the added cost of a separate NPU or coprocessor.
The Wi-Fi 8 Edge AI Access Point Platform
At the heart of the Wi-Fi 8 AP platform is the new BCM49438 APU that combines high-performance computing, networking, and AI acceleration in a single, tightly integrated silicon. Paired with Broadcom's latest enterprise Wi-Fi 8 radio chips, the BCM43840, BCM43844 and BCM43820, enterprise OEMs can build a complete Wi-Fi 8 AP that enables edge AI processing, real-time optimization, and adaptive intelligence across all frequency bands.
The Trident X3+ Switch Platform
Complementing the AP is the new Trident X3+ Ethernet switch platform. The Trident X3+ is engineered with a security-first approach, doubling the front-panel bandwidth to up to 48 multi-gigabit ports to support high-density Wi-Fi 8 deployments. It is the first switch to integrate PQC-compliant MACsec across all ports and includes a Secure Boot engine with a Hardware Root-of-Trust, ensuring comprehensive, end-to-end security across the entire wired and wireless network. Further, the platform is equipped with Broadcom's multi-gigabit PHYs, including the BCM84918, BCM54908 and BCM54908E, that provide seamless, high-speed AP connectivity and PoE PSE chips that deliver optimal power and efficiency.
Unified Architecture Driving Next-Generation Networks
The unified architecture, integrating Wi-Fi 8 capabilities, APU, Trident X3+ switch and multi-gigabit PHY and PoE PSE, significantly elevates network telemetry capabilities, moving beyond simple logging to offer deep, real-time insights for effective AI-powered network operations (AIOps). Further, the solution includes Wireless Time-Sensitive Networking (wTSN), leveraging 1588 Precision Time Protocol (PTP) to guarantee ultra-low latency and deterministic communication. This precision is foundational technology for next-generation industrial environments and sophisticated AI-driven manufacturing processes.
"Broadcom's new Wi-Fi 8 solution addresses many of the critical challenges facing modern enterprise networks," said Siân Morgan, research director at Dell'Oro Group. "By taking an end-to-end approach, from the access point to the switch, Broadcom is delivering enhanced network performance and advanced analytics for AIOps. Broadcom's focus on integrated edge AI, lower-cost MACsec security, and end-to-end telemetry will result in smarter, more secure, and more cost-efficient networks for enterprises."
Availability
Broadcom is currently sampling the complete enterprise Wi-Fi 8 AP and switch solution, including the new BCM49438 APU with Wi-Fi 8 radio chips and Trident X3+ BCM56390 switch with multi-gigabit PHY and PoE PSE chips, to its early access customers and partners. Contact your local Broadcom sales representative for samples and pricing.
Kumar Srikantan, Vice President and General Manager, Campus, Arista Networks
"Arista's Cognitive Campus platforms have been powered by multiple generations of Broadcom's networking silicon products. We are excited to extend this portfolio by leveraging Broadcom's new enterprise platform with compelling features such as native encryption on all ports and efficient, high-bandwidth interfaces to connect to the latest generation of Enterprise Wi-Fi access points. Combined with Arista's feature-rich EOS® software, we look forward to delivering another industry-leading solution for the wired enterprise market."
Dan DeBacker, Chief Product Officer, Infrastructure at Extreme Networks
"AI is redefining enterprise Wi-Fi. By building our next-generation Wi-Fi 8 access points and switches on Broadcom's industry-leading platform, we're delivering AI-driven networking at the edge with built-in intelligence, automation, and security. Our technology leadership translates into tangible customer value with 24/7 reliability, lower operational costs, faster AI-enabled applications, and consistently exceptional user experiences at scale. This innovation is powered by our long-standing partnership with Broadcom, enabling us to bring market-leading solutions to customers with speed and confidence."
Sanjoy Dey, VP of Wireless Product Management, HPE
"HPE is proud to continue our collaboration with Broadcom on Wi-Fi 8 for our next generation of HPE Networking Self-Driving solutions. Together, we can enable enterprise wireless customers to unlock new levels of efficiency, reliability and performance, paving the way for the next era of secure, AI-native operations."
Pramod Badjate, President & GM, NETGEAR Enterprise
"Netgear has leveraged Broadcom technology in generations of market leading networking products. We are excited to continue this long collaboration and develop exceptional new solutions for the AI-driven enterprise leveraging these new switch technologies and deliver sophisticated high-bandwidth, intelligent and secure solutions to our customers."
About Broadcom
Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) is a technology leader that designs, develops, and supplies semiconductors and infrastructure software for global organizations' complex, mission-critical needs. We combine long-term R&D investment with superb execution to deliver the best technology, at scale. Broadcom is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, CA. For more information, visit www.broadcom.com.
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