World News – AU – Network convergence drives support for Wi-Fi 6 and OpenRoaming

New wireless standards are gaining momentum

CAMEROON MAGAZINE - GM19/11/20202 Mins read87 Views

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The Wireless Broadband Association (WBA) says growing awareness of the importance of network convergence created strong early support for both Wi-Fi 6 and OpenRoaming.

Fixed, cellular and wireless converged networks are believed to be the future of telecommunications, capable of providing reliable, high-speed, low-latency communication capable of transforming business, public services and consumer applications.

Establishing Wi-Fi 6 and OpenRoaming standards is critical in ensuring that Wi-Fi can fulfill its role as a complementary technology to the entire fiber and 5G infrastructure.

The faster speeds, greater capacity, and reduced latency of Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E will facilitate faster transfer rates between devices and allow total network technologies to work to their full potential. Wi-Fi 6 is now ready for bus-level deployments and will allow operators to offload traffic when required.

Meanwhile, OpenRoaming is a unified Wi-Fi platform that allows users to seamlessly switch between hotspots without having to reconnect or enter security credentials.

With OpenRoaming, the identity of compatible devices is verified only one time – usually by the mobile operator. There is no need to manually search for Wi-Fi networks or enter passwords. The idea is that Wi-Fi use is as frictionless as 4G or 5G, as users pass between cell sites.

A study commissioned by the WBA found that 89% of telecom companies, equipment manufacturers, and companies have adopted or plan to adopt OpenRoaming – only six months after the standard was introduced. Meanwhile, 95% of the telecom industry said Wi-Fi 6 would be important to their business, and 67% said convergence would be critical to their future plans..

Thiago Rodriguez, CEO of WBA, said: « It was time, not long ago, when we discussed the possibility of Wi-Fi roaming or the convergence between Wi-Fi 6 and 5G, we were met with blank stares. ». Now, it’s just the opposite. Throughout the telecom industry, we are seeing excitement gathering around these trends. 2020 has been a difficult year for everyone, and this reinforces the role of Wi-Fi during the pandemic to keep everyone in touch.

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