This report tracks and discusses the latest activity in the carrier Wi-Fi market including operator deployments, vendor solutions, and industry groups and standard organizations’ efforts. The carrier Wi-Fi ecosystem combines players from both the cellular and the Wi-Fi worlds which results in a dynamic market that is constantly evolving and growing.
One of the most important aspects of carrier Wi-Fi is standardization. As the Wi-Fi technologies advance and the data traffic creates higher demands for Wi-Fi networks, standards bodies continue collaborating to define and shape the carrier Wi-Fi standards in order to meet operators’ business goals. The report examines the roles of different organizations and their contribution to carrier Wi-Fi development.
Mobile and fixed operators also keep upgrading the volume and/or features of their Wi-Fi networks. As the number of hotspots keeps multiplying around the world, many operators are taking their services to the next level by pursuing roaming partnerships and exploring ways to monetize their infrastructure. The report discusses operator activity in different regions and provides an overview of the main monetization scenarios: international roaming and data analytics.