The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) and the Small Cell Forum have announced that they will work together to integrate Wi-Fi hotspots and licensed small cells.
Telecom operators worldwide are increasingly deploying both licensed and unlicensed technologies - in the form of small cells and public Wi-Fi - making this an opportune time to examine how they can be best integrated.
The two organizations will cooperate on a range of initiatives including simple measures such as looking at how small cells could impact the WBA and GSMA's efforts to simplify Next Generation Hotspot (NGH) access, and sharing best practices for optimizing the user experience and operator deployment strategies for joint Wi-Fi/small cell hotspots.
The WBA's NGH program is already making public Wi-Fi more accessible by removing the need for usernames and passwords. Major operators globally are currently trialling these new hotspots and deployments are expected imminently.
However, more ambitiously, the organisations will also look at how to integrate Wi-Fi and small cells on a network level, instead of simply using Wi-Fi to provide a pipe into the cellular network. This could allow Wi-Fi hotspots to support cellular services such as voice and SMS, as well as enable enhanced integrated services such as advanced traffic management and smart offloading features over the radio interfaces as well as within the backend networks, resulting in the best possible user experience.
JR Wilson, Chairman of the Wireless Broadband Alliance said: "This agreement builds a bridge between the Wi-Fi and cellular worlds. Our two organisations bring together the key fixed, mobile and Wi-Fi operator and vendor players. Furthermore, we both enjoy close relationships with the respective standards bodies - the Wi-Fi Alliance, IEEE and 3GPP. This means we have the clout to turn the vision of integrating Wi-Fi hotspots and small cells into a reality. The NGH program will now encompass the advances that emerge from this new cooperation paving the way for a truly converged future. Customers will benefit from a highly dependable, easy to use, seamless service across many different network technologies."
