The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) activated “OpenRoaming”, a globally-available Wi-Fi federation with support from Boingo, Broadcom, Cisco, Deutsche Telekom, Google, Intel, Orange and Samsung, amongst others.
WBA OpenRoaming offers an automatic and secure connection potentially to billions of devices across millions of Wi-Fi networks. The idea is to make it easier for users to join public Wi-Fi networks without needing to search for them, or to repeatedly enter or create login credentials.
WBA said its OpenRoaming provides a new global standards-led approach, removing public-guest Wi-Fi connectivity barriers and bringing greater convenience and security to the wireless ecosystem.
WBA CEO Tiago Rodrigues said: “Wi-Fi is already arguably the most successful wireless technology of our time, but with these globally agreed standards and policies, we can take public-guest Wi-Fi to another level in terms of ease-of-use and global availability. The WBA OpenRoaming creates an open framework for all types of players to join and develop their Wi-Fi services and create new business opportunities. We invite venues, vendors and operator/identity providers to join WBA OpenRoaming and revolutionise Wi-Fi usage around the world.”
WBA member companies supporting the WBA OpenRoaming standards include: Airmesh, Airties, Aprecomm, American Tower, Aptilo, AT&T, Boingo Wireless, Broadcom Inc, Cisco, Cityroam, Comcast, Commscope, Deutsche Telekom, Eduroam, Eleven Software,GlobalReachTechnology, Google, GoZone Wi-Fi, Hub One, Hughes Systique Corp, Intel , IT&E, m3connect, Nomosphere, Orange, Purple Wi-Fi, Radiator Software, Samsung, Single Digits, Sun Global, Veniam, WifiCoin and Zephyrtel.
The WBA OpenRoaminghighlights:
- Cloud federation, consisting of a global database of networks and identities, dynamic discovery and the Wireless Roaming Intermediary Exchange (WRIX)
- Cyber security, consisting of Public Key Infrastructure and RadSec providing the certificate policy, management and brokerage services
- Network automation, facilitated by an automated roaming consortium framework and policy and Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint®
- Companies who join WBA OpenRoaming are included in a federation of identity and network providers. Equipment vendors, identity providers, venues and operators – as well as private and public Wi-Fi networks – can join WBA OpenRoaming and immediately become part of the global ecosystem and help to shape the future of the federation.
