Seamless WiFi offloading to launch within 12 months - WBA
The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) predicted on Thursday that seamless WiFi offloading solutions will begin deployment within the next 12 months.
"The complementary relationship between WiFi and mobile networks is finally becoming a reality," said the industry body's chairman Chris Bruce, in a statement.
The WBA's prediction was made following the successful completion of trials of its Next Generation Hotspot (NGH) standard, which enables secure connection to a WiFi network without user intervention, such as entering a password.
"Next Generation Hotspots allow smartphones and tablets to automatically roam from the cellular network onto WiFi hotspots," said Bruce.
"Fixed and mobile operators alike are leading a WiFi hotspot renaissance in a renewed effort to sate the seemingly unquenchable desire for ubiquitous broadband connectivity," he continued. "The future is a great broadband experience that operates over all sorts of different technologies."
Participants of the trial included service providers AT&T, BT, China Mobile, Docomo InterTouch, NTT DoCoMo, Orange, PCCW Mobile, Portugal Telecom, Smart Communications, Swisscom, TeliaSonera and True Corp.
Participating device and network equipment vendors included LG, Intel, Accuris Networks, Aruba Networks, BelAir Networks, Cisco and Ruckus Wireless.
The WBA said it plans to begin more advanced trials in the second half of 2012 as part of its aim to create a WiFi network that replicates the cellular experience.
Some of the industry's biggest players have been making significant progress on solutions to tackle increasing mobile data traffic, which Cisco
predicted last week would grow 18-fold by 2016.
Ericsson
earlier this week bought carrier-grade WiFi specialist BelAir Networks in an effort to strengthen its WiFi offload and small-cell portfolio.
Meanwhile, Alcaltel-Lucent
last week unveiled a new version of its lightRadio small-cell that incorporates carrier-grade WiFi access alongside 2G, 3G, and LTE.
However, WiFi offload is not just being addressed with new hardware. T-Mobile USA
last year deployed an application developed by Kineto Wireless called Smart WiFi, which automatically activates when the user is in range of a wireless network; the app turns on the WiFi radio in the handset, registers with the WFi network, then turns off the cellular radio.