The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), working with leading telecom operators such as Telefónica and AT&T, has announced a series of trials for next-generation hotspots (NGH) designed to expand public Wi‑Fi availability worldwide.
The WBA’s stated goal is “to secure an outstanding user experience through the global deployment of next-generation Wi‑Fi,” and the initiative has attracted a broad coalition of major operators and vendors.
Participating operators include BT, China Mobile and Time Warner Cable, while vendor partners include Cisco, Comfone and iPass.
After an initial pilot conducted in the first quarter of 2012, the WBA plans a more extensive trial starting in the fourth quarter of the year, with the first NGH deployments targeted for early 2013.
Central to these trials is the use of Wi‑Fi Alliance Passpoint‑certified equipment. Passpoint simplifies and secures user access by removing captive portals and manual sign‑on—users no longer need to enter a username and password at every location—and it is expected to reinforce the relationship between service providers and their customers.
The trials will include rigorous testing of authentication methods, covering both SIM‑based and non‑SIM‑based approaches, to ensure seamless and secure connectivity across diverse devices and networks.
A recent iPass study of mobile professionals highlighted patterns of connectivity that underscore the potential value of NGH adoption. The report found that 88% of respondents considered Wi‑Fi access to be as or more essential than basic utilities such as running water or electricity. Mobile workers reported going to great lengths to obtain connectivity, from visiting cafés to driving around in search of free Wi‑Fi.
Shrikant Shenwai, CEO of the WBA, commented: “Growing mobile data usage is driving a surge of operator interest in public Wi‑Fi. Key to this is the development of a new generation of hotspots.”
He added: “By employing simple connectivity, open standards and global operator relationships, public Wi‑Fi now has the same crucial ingredients that made cellular technologies a massive success.”
Additional major organizations have joined the WBA roster, including Bell Mobility, China Unicom and Hewlett‑Packard, further strengthening the alliance’s global reach and industry support.
With global broadband subscriptions surpassing 600 million, according to research published by The Broadband Forum, the question becomes whether widespread NGH deployment will deliver truly reliable, ubiquitous public Wi‑Fi. The WBA trials aim to answer that question by validating technologies and operational models that could make consistent, secure public Wi‑Fi a realistic component of the global connectivity landscape.