As wireless network capacity demands skyrocket, carriers are using WLAN (wireless local area network) or Wi-Fi technology to offload traffic. As those networks evolve toward more extensive LTE deployments, Wi-Fi is trying to keep pace by moving to next-generation services in order to provide what might be considered the next-generation or LTE WLAN.
Aruba Networks has about 17,000 customers. The company has traditionally provided business-class WiFi services for enterprise campuses and branch offices, but is moving into the service provider space because of the demand for Wi-Fi offload capabilities.
“We have a large number of service provider customers, and we’re seeing tremendous growth in this area as service providers look to augment cellular infrastructure with Wi-Fi for offload and managed services,” said Frederick Harris, product manager for service provider marketing at Aruba.
He said that many operators are struggling with capacity, particularly in high-traffic areas such as airports, shopping malls and sports stadiums where 3G infrastructure simply may not be up to the demands of wireless customers.
“The service quality is just not there on the cellular infrastructure,” Harris said.
Adding to the complications are situations where, say, a sports team wants to take advantage of 4G wireless network capabilities to offer on-site fans a more personalized user experience by offering a wireless application – perhaps with the ability to watch instant replays, share video, or order food to be brought to a particular stadium seat and pay via phone.
So carriers have increasingly relied on Wi-Fi to beef up coverage by broadly deploying “carrier Wi-Fi,” and are approaching the WLAN technology far more strategically, Harris said.
Meanwhile, Wi-Fi technology itself is evolving to better accommodate smooth LTE/WLAN interactions.
Hot Spot 2.0: Wi-Fi Evolves
The Wireless Broadband Alliance, of which Aruba Networks is a member, has been working on a new Wi-Fi standard called Hot Spot 2.0. The goal is to give WLANs a cellular-like feel and hand-off.
Wi-Fi use usually calls for a menu to pop up with a list of local networks in range; the user selects a network (either free or paid) and logs in – a rather clunky process compared to what users get on their cellular networks.
“What Hot Spot 2.0 will allow consumers to do it automate the authentication,” Frederick said. “It will essentially allow you to automatically associate with a carrier network, like AT&T or Verizon; that happens seamlessly.”
Harris added that Hot Spot 2.0 – which is currently being trialed — would also allow carriers to have roaming agreements over the fast-growing carrier Wi-Fi networks. So a customer could make use of 2g/3G/LTE/WLAN connections and cross-carrier roaming without hands-on authentication.
“Now it opens up Wi-Fi to look much more like cellular infrastructure, where you can roam across other carriers’ networks,” Harris said.
Wi-Fi To Be Embraced as LTE Expands
According to a Green Packet June 2012 white paper for the Wireless Broadband Alliance, Wi-Fi and small cells are supposed to ramp up in concert as operators explore LTE’s capabilities for heterogeneous network (HetNet) architectures, “despite the fact that many operators are still finding interference management and support for HetNet a challenge. The small cell and Wi-Fi alternatives are not a panacea to every situations, but it will surely be a critical strategy to deliver their mix of services and revenues.”
The report estimated that most users are connected to some form of Wi-Fi coverage up to two-thirds of the time, and that while Wi-Fi is currently the focus of mobile data off-load efforts, “in the mid- to longer term, operators require integration of Wi-Fi with the mobile network so that mobile data offload becomes more intelligent, automated, and seamless.”
The report went on to say that mobile operators “cannot afford to wait for LTE to rescue their plight, but embrace alternative technology in Wi-Fi that can give them a path to seamlessly integrate hybrid networks that are in line with standards adoption.”
