Simplified Hotspot Access for Smartphones and Tablets

The GSMA and the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) have announced they are working together to simplify connectivity to Wi-Fi hotspots from mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

The joint initiative is developing technical and commercial frameworks for Wi-Fi roaming, which will bring together the benefits of mobile technology and Wi-Fi networks for the first time, creating a far simpler consumer experience, they say.

[ Also Read: Are Tablets Really Selling Like Hot Cakes? ]

“The proliferation of smartphones and tablets around the world, as well as consumers’ huge appetite for data means innovative solutions need to be explored to make using the Internet as convenient and as accessible as possible,” said Dan Warren, senior director of Technology at the GSMA. “Through combining the proven capabilities of Mobile Broadband and Wi-Fi technologies, users will have the freedom to move between networks with ease.”

Wi-Fi is increasingly emerging as a feature on smartphones and tablets, but today there is no consistency in the way these devices attach to Wi-Fi networks. This process includes device configuration, the use of access keys and various mechanisms for acquiring and paying for connectivity.

[ Also Read: Is Huawei Ascend D Quad the Fastest Smartphone? ]

Wi-Fi roaming will allow mobile devices to seamlessly connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot using the SIM card for authentication, as well as enable mobile operators to uniquely and securely identify users whether they are on a mobile or Wi-Fi network.

Wi-Fi roaming will be based on the WBA’s ‘Next Generation Hotspot’ programme and the Wi-Fi Alliance’s ‘Passpoint certification’ technology. It will also build on the GSMA’s roaming principles that have propelled the mobile industry to more than six billion mobile connections worldwide, a number that is expected to more than double within the next ten years, according to GSMA.

To date, the Wi-Fi roaming initiative has identified and agreed to the basis for a common approach to authenticating mobile devices on Wi-Fi hotspots, automatically and securely.

It will now work towards aligning guidelines on security, billing, data offload, device implementation and network selection to create a consistent solution for GSMA and WBA members.

[ Also Read: How to Live a Simple Digital Life ]

This work will build on the GSMA’s GPRS Roaming Exchange (GRX) and the WBA’s Wireless Roaming Intermediary Exchange (WRIX) roaming models, which combined, will enable consumers around the world to enjoy straightforward Internet. GSMA made this announcement today, March 20.

Spanning more than 220 countries, GSMA is a trade association of nearly 800 of the world’s mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies, and media and entertainment organisations.

And WBA member operators collectively serve more than 1 billion subscribers and operate more than 1 million hotspots globally.

Photo courtesy: GSMA