BEDFORD, N.H. and CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 19, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Single Digits, a leading provider of intelligent managed networks, and OpenWiFi, a solution developed through the Telecom Infra Project (TIP), a global community of companies and organizations working together to advance global connectivity, today announced the successful deployment of an OpenWiFi network at the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Greater Charlotte.

“The Single Digits Wi-Fi network deployment process was exceptional. We’re grateful to collaborate with forward-thinking organizations like them to significantly enhance our ability to provide comfort and convenience for the families we serve,” said Vicky Seksinsky, representative office administrator at RMHC of Greater Charlotte. “Staying connected with loved ones is paramount during a stay, and our new OpenWiFi network enables children and their families to do just that.”

The open source-based Wi-Fi network supports RMHC’s mission to embrace families of sick or injured children by providing the comfort and support of home during their greatest time of need. RMHC of Greater Charlotte’s mission aligns with Single Digits’ commitment to creating connected experiences that enhance the quality of life. This Wi-Fi deployment will offer families seamless internet connectivity, ensuring they can stay in touch with loved ones and access vital information during their stay.

“TIP OpenWiFi empowers us to deploy more affordable Wi-Fi networks at a faster rate while also delivering superior performance,” said Joe Martin, vice president of product management at Single Digits. “Backed by the TIP OpenWiFi community of collaborators, this collaborative solution is truly a game-changer for the Wi-Fi industry — and a better solution for global connectivity. This initiative with the RMHC of Greater Charlotte reinforces our dedication to delivering reliable, high-speed Wi-Fi access in important community venues and ultimately providing connectivity for good.”

Leveraging community-driven OpenWiFi architecture to enable part multivendor, managed Wi-Fi networks, Single Digits integrates its managed services through The Connected Life Platform™. The program facilitates the easy installation and zero-touch provisioning of access points from Edgecore and NetExperience’s cloud controller, resulting in an efficient and effective setup process for RMHC of Greater Charlotte.

“We are delighted to partner with industry leader Single Digits to bring the benefits of OpenWiFi to the RMHC of Greater Charlotte. The OpenWiFi solution is perfectly suited for the public good, with lower costs, better access and an open platform,” said Bernard Herscovici, CEO of NetExperience.

In the spirit of Wi-Fi for good, Single Digits, OpenWiFi, NetExperience and Edgecore all partnered on a fundraiser — Raise Love #forRMHC. For every like, comment, repost or share on LinkedIn, the companies will donate to ensure that funds raised can fill a pantry with snacks in the RMCH of Greater Charlotte’s Ronald McDonald Family Room.

Known for launching networks that provide social impact, OpenWiFi was named a Finalist for the 2023 Leading Lights Awards for Best Public-Private Partnership. Since launching in 2021, OpenWiFi networks have been deployed globally in multifamily housing, dormitories on U.S. military bases and other commercial environments.

About Single Digits:
We give end users The Connected Life Experience® — the seamless, effortless and robust connectivity experience they expect — and show property owners how to break the bounds of uninspired connectivity to increase revenue, improve customer and resident satisfaction and ultimately maximize property value. We offer complete guest, resident and customer internet and connectivity solutions, including enterprise-class software, network design, engineering, professional services, ongoing maintenance, network monitoring, multilingual support, revenue reporting and authentication tracking. We currently serve over 3,600 customers globally, comprised of over 1 million guest rooms and apartment units across multiple industries, including hospitality, student housing, multifamily and senior living. www.singledigits.com

About Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Charlotte:
RMHC of Greater Charlotte focuses on embracing families of sick or injured children by providing the comfort and support of home during their greatest time of need. Since 2011, we have served over 4,000 families from across the Carolinas, the country and the world. For more information, please visit www.rmhofcharlotte.org.

About OpenWiFi:
Launched in 2021, OpenWiFi is a community-developed open-source platform designed to lower the cost of developing and operating Wi-Fi networks. Designed to include a cloud controller SDK and switches and enterprise-grade access point firmware validated to work seamlessly together, the platform’s unique approach to Wi-Fi creates an open-source disaggregated technology stack without vendor lock-in, ensuring a cost-effective and seamless way to deploy connectivity in a variety of use cases. OpenWiFi was created through the Telecom Infra Project (TIP), a global community of companies and organizations that are driving open and disaggregated infrastructure solutions to advance global connectivity. The OpenWiFi community currently includes more than 300 participants, including service providers, OEMs, ODMs, software ISVs, system integrators, silicon vendors and industry organizations. Learn more about TIP OpenWiFi here.

About NetExperience:
NetExperience is leading the transition to a disaggregated Wi-Fi and LAN network. The NetExperience Cloud platform includes sophisticated, highly scalable WLAN controller and management capabilities designed for Wi-Fi service providers. The platform is compatible with the key components of the Telecom Infra Project OpenWiFi and OpenLAN architectures and is compatible with OpenWiFi access points and OpenLAN Switch hardware. www.netexperience.com

ThinkWiFi and Mawingu Partner to Provide Disaggregated, Open-Source Wi-Fi Network Funded Through A Digital Advertising Monetization Model

Kenya, May 11, 2022—ThinkWiFi, an Africa-based ad-tech free WiFi internet service provider, and Mawingu, an internet service provider backed by Microsoft, today announced it launched the first outdoor Telecom Infra Project (TIP) OpenWiFi network in Kenya. This collaboration is funded using an advertising-based model, the first time a TIP OpenWiFi network has been built and commercialized using a sponsorship platform.

“ThinkWiFi’s mission is to empower people by giving them access to the internet. We are a purpose-based business working to close the digital divide,” said Janine Rebelo, Founder and CEO of ThinkWiFi. “Working with Mawingu and TIP OpenWiFi provides social upliftment where everyone can get connected to enterprise-grade Wi-Fi through an easy-to-use advertising platform. It’s a win-win-win where brands win by gaining access to high growth consumer segments, consumers win with free, uncapped, high speed connectivity, and the community wins by getting unfettered access to the digital economy through free Wi-Fi networks   powered by advertising revenue.”

Managed from ThinkWiFi’s headquarters in South Africa, the Wi-Fi network uses TIP OpenWiFi certified hardware and software including access points (APs) from Edgecore and CIG. Wavespot provides the cloud controller which also implements the backend analytics and location-based services through its AICloud allowing ThinkWiFi to gain valuable customer experience insights. The Wi-Fi  network is built on top of Mawingu’s network infrastructure.

“This network clearly demonstrates why TIP OpenWiFi is the most innovative connectivity solution on the market today–it’s open, with multiple vendors supplying hardware, so it can be scaled to provide superb speeds without vendor lock-in. Plus, funding the network through advertising makes community connectivity widely available, and as OpenWiFi already offers a much lower TCO, it’s a very effective way to build affordable Wi-Fi networks in city centers,” said Jack Raynor, TIP OpenWiFi Program Group Co-chair. “Simply put, OpenWiFi is beneficial to the communities that we serve and that’s why we’ve seen it scale so rapidly around the world.”

“Mawingu’s aim is to help our customers access new opportunities for work, education, entertainment, and social connections, through the power of the Internet. Our company’s mission is driven by this very purpose: Open Opportunities”, says Farouk Ramji, Mawingu CEO. “Through our collaboration with ThinkWiFiand OpenWiFi, we can provide free internet to bring us closer to bridging the digital divide in Kenya.”

The ThinkWiFi OpenWiFi network is the first part of a larger rollout that will include additional city centers, transit and tourist hubs and retail malls in Kenya and South Africa  with future plans to expand into other African countries and southern European regions. The ThinkWiFi OpenWiFi network deployments are expected to cover a number of public service and healthcare facilities through collaboration and partnership with public organizations.

TIP OpenWiFi is an open source-based Wi-Fi architecture that enables multi-vendor, interoperable Wi-Fi networks. OpenWiFi-based solutions allow ThinkWiFi to seamlessly mix and match access points and controllers from any TIP OpenWiFi compliant manufacturer and developers to quickly create new applications given it is open source.

There are more than 300 companies involved with the TIP OpenWiFi initiative from OEMs, ODMs and silicon providers to managed service providers and app developers. Launched in 2021, TIP OpenWiFi has announced commercial deployments in the United States with Boingo Wireless, in India with Spectra, in Pakistan with Multinet, and a trial with the City of Dublin and Virgin Media that complies with the European Commission’s WIFI4EU initiative, the benchmark for public Wi-fi deployments in Europe.

About ThinkWiFi:
ThinkWiFi’s mission is to reduce digital poverty and empower people whilst providing FMCG brands with access to high growth consumer markets. ThinkWiFi’s core ambition is Giving people access to free  uncapped internet, through an immersive, data enriched, brand safe AdTech platform, .. We’re passionate about closing the digital divide while laying the foundations for the 4th industrial revolution for all  under-served communities, by leveraging a powerful combination of Data analytics, Digital advertising and Open WiFi. Think WiFi’s AdTech platform  delivers over 14 million ad impressions each month for a growing number of major FMCG brands and financial institutions, and is proud to be a member of the IAB SA which represents the South African digital industry to all sectors, including the marketing community, the media, the South African government and the public. For out more https://www.thinkwifi.online/

About Mauwingu:

Originally founded at the foothills of Mount Kenya, in Nanyuki. Today, Mawingu has expanded coverage to 22 counties, +9,000 active users, and +300,000 hotspot customers served. We can proudly say we are Kenya’s largest internet service provider (ISP) dedicated exclusively to the rural and peri urban markets in the country. The key to our success? Our versatility. We employ wireless, fiber, and smart green-energy technology, making it possible to adapt to the changing terrain demands and market conditions. Learn more at https://mawingu.co

About Wavespot:

Wavespot is a leading provider of wifi network infrastructure and location-based services for service providers, quick-service restaurants, retail, hospitality, and healthcare. With its multi-vendor cloud controller and AI-powered analytics, Wavespot helps businesses improve their operations and customer experience through insights and automation. Learn more about Wavespot at https://wavespot.net/.

About Telecom Infra Project OpenWiFi

Telecom Infra Project (TIP) is a global community of companies and organizations that are driving open and disaggregated infrastructure solutions to advance global connectivity including TIP OpenWiFi. TIP OpenWiFi is an open sourced, community-developed, disaggregated Wi-Fi hardware and software system. The system includes a cloud controller SDK and an enterprise-grade access point (AP) firmware, designed and validated to work seamlessly together. OpenWiFi is managed within TIP’s Open Converged Wireless (OCW) project group, which enables industry collaboration to build, test and validate products that deliver the requirements of valuable service providers’ use cases. The OpenWiFi community currently includes more than 300 participants, including services providers, OEM’s, ODM’s, Software ISV’s, system integrators, silicon vendors & Industry organizations. Learn more about TIP OpenWiFi here.

Pakistan’s Top Service Provider Building Open and Disaggregated Wi-Fi Networks based on TIP’s technologies across Communications Footprint.

– Karachi, Pakistan, February 21, 2023

Multinet, Pakistan’s business communications company of choice, today announced that it is deploying Telecom Infra Project’s OpenWiFi technology to power Wi-Fi networks across the country. Multinet’s OpenWiFi networks will provide seamless high-speed connectivity for public, hospitality, sports and entertainment, and retail enterprise customers.

Well-known for leading-edge telecom solutions to Pakistan, Multinet is the first managed service provider in the region to deploy OpenWiFi’s technology stack to provide the general public and customers with seamless, fast, and affordable connectivity.

Multinet has been providing quality public Wi-Fi across Pakistan, covering all major airports, various public places, malls, and recreational areas with its Wi-Fi infrastructure with the objective of “Connectivity for all.”

“Our singular mission is to deliver superior connectivity solutions for Pakistan and reach out to the public and masses with our public Wi-Fi initiative,” said Adnan H. Zaidi, Chief Operating Officer at Multinet. “By using open and disaggregated technology, such as OpenWiFi, we will continue to lead the market with innovation that delivers exceptional service, quality, and reliability for the public, our customers, and stakeholders. With superior scalability, this will greatly scale up our public Wi-Fi footprint and reach.”

“OpenWiFi is the perfect solution for Multinet because it offers competitive total cost of ownership (TCO) and eliminates vendor lock-in,” said Sandeep Kohli, Connectivity Technologies and Ecosystems Manager, Meta and member of the TIP Open Optical and Open WiFi Program Groups. “It also eliminates the need to introduce additional controllers opening new deployment use cases, such as Wi-Fi networks built for the public, hospitality, sports and entertainment and retail segments, not previously addressed due to cost considerations in these markets.”

“Multinet is leading the region in open and disaggregated technology deployments and we’re excited to see how OpenWiFi will benefit Multinet’s customers,” said TIP Executive Director Kristian Toivo.