I have been using my Galaxy S6 Edge+ on EE for a few months now. I set it to favour Wi-Fi ahead of LTE/whatever for all comms. I find it switches between them very well, so Wi-Fi offloading is mainstream, if you can afford the best. If you can’t, wait, it will soon get cheaper.

If I can’t get good Wi-Fi I use LTE, so I don’t much care as a consumer which uses what spectrum. As a wireless networks specialist, even though a vague notion of cooperation is being talked-up, I do have a problem with LTE-U encroaching on already heavily used spectrum. Not just because of difficulties created for Wi-Fi, but also because that spectrum is used by many classes of device, some yet to be created that will no doubt become important. General purpose wireless data transport is now so important to a developed society that needs to be protected from narrower concerns like those of mobile network operators. Also regulators should ban the sale of infrastructure equipment supporting older Wi-Fi standards, and later do the same for other devices. Then we would get much more from our spectrum.

A long time ago now I posted on a LinkedIn retail managers forum about the importance of creating an ‘experience’ for visitors. We can buy cheaply and conveniently from the Internet; so why visit an establishment unless we are going to enjoy something extra. As connectivity is now so vital to us I am sure that providing great connectivity via Wi-Fi will help improve the experience. I know that useful data can be derived from providing that service, and that it is about to evolve in an important way that I think will surprise some.

Like everything else, city management evolves. As we have long expected street lighting, so now it is natural to expect general purpose wireless connectivity from municipal providers through taxation.