Fifteen years ago, the internet was making headlines in every household. It was a "must have" for families to be connected. Back then, the internet was used to communicate with families and friends through emails and chats. It was a trendsetter and a fad, but little did we know that it would become a part of the next generation culture.
Years later internet connections across the globe are reaching about a billion users and are expected to hit 1.2 billion as we cross 2015. The exponential growth of such a culture can be attributed to numerous factors, one of the main factors making the internet move, or should we say accessible while on the move, is because Wi-Fi has been introduced to the market.
The transition from being fixed to mobile has never been an easy task for internet providers and telecommunication companies. One of the primary hurdles that block them from moving forward is interoperability. Early 802.11 products suffered from interoperability problems because the IEEE had no provision for testing equipment for compliance with its standards. However, those stumbling blocks would soon be eliminated because by 1999 endorsement towards IEEE 802.11b specification to form the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance (WECA) was introduced and the technology was soon re-branded as Wi-Fi. And by 2002, WECA renamed its brand Wi-Fi Alliance. Today, most producers of 802.11 compatible equipments are members, and as of 2010 the Wi-Fi Alliance has over 375 member companies worldwide.
These days the group again is making its presence felt as Wi-Fi becomes a crucial element for portability and mobility. Wi-Fi Alliance is making sure that seamless connectivity not only inter-city but across the globe. Early this year, the Wi-Fi Alliance has launched their Wi-Fi certification programs. The move works to streamline the process of how consumers connect to public hotspots, and also to facilitate cellular-to-Wi-Fi handoffs of data requests with the use of smartphones and tablets.
According to Davis-Felner, Marketing Director of the Wi-Fi Alliance, one of the primary goals of the certification programs is to ensure end users can easily access hotspot networks from various providers. Such a move is a win not only for subscribers but also for service providers and device manufacturers as well. What they've envisioned is to have Wi-Fi enabled devices automated just like the cellular experience, so users don't have to worry about security because their service providers are certified members of the alliance thus making its network and its hotspots trustworthy.
Aside from having a standardized and certified Wi-Fi connection, the move also aims to facilitate the seamless handoff of cellular traffic from data-hungry smartphones, tablets and other portable electronics to Wi-Fi, thus helping service providers manage demands on constrained licensed spectrum because it is expected that data volume over cellular networks will nearly double from 2011 to 2012, reaching 4.56 million terabytes1. So in an effort not to clog or burden the spectrum of network operators, many service providers have announced and adopted the expanded Wi-Fi hotspot deployment plans. And because of this the number of hotspots worldwide is expected to more than double by 2014; the current estimate it is about 750,000. The planned launch of the Wi-Fi certified hotspot certification program is by the first half of 2012.
The Alliance has highlighted some key benefits of having a Wi-Fi Certified program:
- Network Discovery and Selection: Devices discover and automatically choose networks based upon user preferences, operator policies and network optimization.
- Streamlined Network Access: In many cases, devices will be automatically granted access to the network based upon credential mechanisms, such as SIM cards, which are widely used in cellular devices today.
- Immediate Account Provisioning: The process of establishing a new user account at the point of access will be streamlined, eliminating user steps and driving a common provisioning methodology across vendors.
- WPA2 Security: Over-the-air transmissions are encrypted using the latest-generation security technology.
Interoperability at its Best
The Wi-Fi Alliance was formed to respond to the call of the industry to make interoperability possible in the late 90's. During that time their only goal was to make sure that end users even while on the move could easily connect to the net using a Wi-Fi connection. Thirteen years later years after its formation, the Alliance is once again called upon but this time it is not only to make sure that it will have a smooth connection but also make sure that it will support operators in providing end users data request OTA (Over the Air), thereby not clogging the network.
Now as the internet becomes so ubiquitous, the growing need to connect will definitely make an upward trend. The data being requested is so huge that operators will need an alternative means to provide it aside from their networks. And any support to make this possible will definitely be appreciated by the operators.
However, as an end user, the major concerns are the 3 S's: security, savings and seamless transition. With the thrust of all operators, vendors and device manufactures towards Wi-Fi Certification, data security is the foremost objective that needs to be addressed, meaning that data transferred is secure not only by the infrastructure but the technology as well.
Consumers give importance to the value for their money for services they receive, and with the certification, moving into globally certified Wi-Fi hotspots will help them save some money because they will use the services without needing to access the net using their mobile phones or other devices through operator network (broadband dongles). Seamless transition is another factor that consumer will take into consideration because moving from one technology to the other should be with just a click of a button so that everybody is encouraged to use it.
The move towards Wi-Fi certification definitely has a positive effect not only on the end users but also to everyone involved and using the technology. Once fully implemented, the certification will help to make the world a better connected place.
© Telecom Review 2011
