Wi-Fi standards have increased in raw bit rate 7,000 times in only 15 years. It’s a remarkable result and one of the big reasons why Wi-Fi is so popular around the world. We believe that this is only the beginning. A host of entrepreneurs all over the world understand that unlicensed wireless is the perfect playing field for innovation.
The Wi-Fi industry keeps pushing the performance envelope. Award-winning startup Mimosa is one such company – taking on the fibre industry with fibre-like performance at rock-bottom, low-cost prices. Gigabit performance to a multitude of users is also delivered by carrier Wi-Fi leader Ruckus Wireless. You will meet both and many more at Wi-Fi NOW in Amsterdam. Whichever way you look at it, Wi-Fi is evolving a lot faster than cellular and performing a lot better, too.
So what’s Wi-Fi’s biggest Achilles’ Heel?
There are still challenges to be resolved – but perhaps the most important right now is security. Public Wi-Fi access has been wrought by security issues – often because public Wi-Fi networks are poorly planned and configured. But there are also systematic security issues that need to be addressed. While Hotspot 2.0 in theory resolves Wi-Fi security issues in one stroke, the rollout of Hotspot 2.0 has been slow. In the meantime, interim solutions include VPNs, Wireless Intrusion Protection, and other forms.
That’s why we’ve dedicated an entire day at Wi-Fi NOW to address the security issue. Whether you’r a carrier, a venue, or a managed service provider of any kind – security is becoming more and more important as consumer awareness of Wi-Fi risks increase. We’re going to get to the bottom of the story at Wi-Fi NOW in Amsterdam.
As we see it – the security problem can be tackled in at least three ways:
