  Next-generation WLANs will support the use of wider channels, which is known
as channel bonding, to achieve higher throughput. However, because both the
channel center frequency and the channel width are autonomously selected by
each WLAN, the use of wider channels may also increase the competition with
other WLANs operating in the same area for the limited available spectrum, thus
causing the opposite effect. In this paper, we analyse the interactions between
a group of neighboring WLANs that use channel bonding and evaluate the impact
of those interactions on the achievable throughput. A Continuous Time Markov
Network (CTMN) model that is able to capture the coupled operation of a group
of overlapping WLANs is introduced and validated. The results show that the use
of channel bonding can provide significant performance gains even in scenarios
with high densities of WLANs, though it may also cause unfair situations in
which some WLANs cannot access the channel, while others receive most of the
transmission opportunities.
