Enabling the Future of Wi-Fi® Public Access

Wireless networks have moved beyond homes and offices. Mobile professionals who
demand access to data have spawned the creation of public access "hotspots" that
provide wireless access in locations as diverse as coffee shops, airports, hotels and
telephone booths. Their number is growing rapidly and is projected that by 2007
hotspots will number 530,000 in the United States, almost 800,000 in Europe and more
than a million in Asia.

Yet, Wi-Fi® public access is not without challenges. Concerns over security and the
difficulty of establishing a wireless connection stymie many users. The lack of roaming
agreements forces users to maintain multiple accounts or one-time service charges so
they can access the Internet from any public hotspot. These issues represent significant
obstacles to a widespread public embrace of Wi-Fi public access networks. Until they
are addressed, the full potential of Wi-Fi public access cannot be realized, and
ubiquitous access will remain more of a vision than a reality.

This whitepaper examines the evolution of the public access market and discusses the
roadblocks that impact its potential. Furthermore, it identifies the leadership role being
taken by the Wi-Fi Alliance in developing universal standards and requirements that will
insure the interoperable, secure and easy-to-use experience that users require and that
will open the Wi-Fi public access market to a whole new customer base. The Wi-Fi
Alliance is committed to accelerating the public access market through extensions to its
certification programs, and development of best practice documents that will reduce
complexity and costs in these deployments. Through these efforts the WFA is working to
broaden the appeal of wireless services to a fast-growing user-base of Wi-Fi-equipped
consumers.

Downloadable File

Enabling the Future of Wi-Fi® Public Access