Technical challenges of Wi-Fi now secondary to solving the Wi-Fi business model

The WBA is working to make Wi-Fi seamless, secure and interoperable for service providers and also to ensure the technology is made available to, and works perfectly across, multiple ecosystems such as enterprises, smart cities and vertical markets. Derek Peterson says the WBA's roadmap leads directly to convergence, the establishment of the best possible connection for each end-user case and the creation of a cost-effective way to provide it whilst ensuring the optimum user experience.

He explains that the twin of convergence is collaboration and says the era of more deterministic connection means that the industry needs-must work together to build standards so that different Wi-Fi networks do not interfere with one another and users get a consistently high quality experience. He also points out that the Wi-Fi sector is constantly developing and that two very promising new areas are shared spectrum and software-defined spectrum access.

He adds that many resources can now be brought to bear to solve any technical challenges that Wi-Fi might face but the biggest remaining problem is in the 'business' of Wi-Fi and understanding and nurturing constructive relationships within the commercial arena. He cites the example of cities where public/private relationships will have to be hammered-out and, as another, the B2B sector where relationship need to be established whereby all interested parties benefit mutually and no one particular party gains to the detriment of others.

Filmed at Wireless Global Congress, London 2018