Welcome to Plume IQ, our monthly reveal of data-driven intelligence and customer-focused insights from more than 2 billion connected devices, and over 43 million locations, managed in the Plume Cloud.
Which devices dominate the OpenSync universe?
Four years ago, we made OpenSync available as an open-source, silicon-to-service framework. It is now the go-to platform for the broadband industry, with over 350 CSPs relying on it globally to provide cloud-driven services for 43 million locations, with a staggering 890 petabytes of data managed every day.
Earlier this month we celebrated surpassing a key milestone as more than 2 billion connected devices have been managed on OpenSync-powered networks! So, we dipped into data from the ever-expanding OpenSync universe to determine the brands and devices that have proven to be the most popular over time.
At the brand level, Apple dominates with a 54% share while smartphones are the most popular devices with 40.9% of the deployed base. The iPhone family is the smart home users’ go-to product with 15.1%. When drilling down to specific models, Apple’s MacBook Pro (5.7%) beats Microsoft’s Xbox One (4.7%) to the top spot.
Until now, competitive solutions to solving these issues have been difficult or cost prohibitive to implement. Physical site surveys, retrofitting existing cable wiring embedded in building infrastructure, and limited software services are all hurdles to rapidly lighting up a building with delightful connectivity experiences for tenants and property managers alike.
As the world’s first cloud- and AI-powered connectivity and management solution designed to meet the unique needs of MDUs, Uprise™ enables property managers and Communications Service Providers (CSPs) to provide highly personalized customer experiences while reducing costs through unmatched hardware choice and lower CAPEX.
How Uprise works:
For tenants, Uprise enables users to personalize their internet experiences through the HomePass® and WorkPass® apps; trusted applications already delivering adaptive wireless connectivity and AI-driven cyber-security to over 43 million locations. Uprise constantly performs sophisticated load and interference management, as well as clustered optimizations for reliable and consistent connectivity throughout the MDU. This is true even in mixed-use buildings where small businesses are operating in the same area as residential tenants.
What will this mean to a tenant? Optimization algorithms intelligently group units together by proximity, allocating bandwidth where needed. So, if one tenant is facing an afternoon of Zoom calls while another is streaming video games at the same time, Uprise will intelligently distribute bandwidth to support steady, strong, and secure connectivity for all parties involved. Similarly, when the coffee shop in the same building gets busy in the morning, tenants’ WiFi won’t suffer.
Uprise includes three main services:
Perks for CSPs:
CSPs get all the benefits of HayStack®, a back-end software suite that helps manage the subscriber experience. Plume also offers Harvest®, a data-driven network insights and campaign automation software tool to drive growth. Uprise also includes a variety of application programming interfaces (APIs), which can easily and seamlessly connect to back-end systems.
Managers or administrators can choose between a bulk-pay scenario (which covers the whole building), or individual pay options, where tenants choose a CSP that offers Uprise.
Benefits for building managers:
Building owners and property managers now have a new way to differentiate their MDU offering from competitors. Property managers will find Uprise makes it easier than ever to get new residential and small-business tenants connected after move-in (and disconnected at move-out). Hardware can be recycled from tenant to tenant and setup is simple. Options include LTE back-up for uninterrupted service, PoE+ for secure and convenient mounting, and WiFi 6 capabilities for greater speeds and network capacity. An intuitive, award-winning interface means that both managers and tenants can monitor and manage network settings.
Uprise also provides property-management employees (and their IoT devices) with a devoted, secure network that offers them an additional layer of protection and peace of mind. Finally, Uprise makes it possible for building managers to provide connectivity in common areas like lobbies, gyms, or pool decks.
“Uprise marks the beginning of a new and exciting phase in the development of Plume’s products. We have leveraged and further advanced our technology to address problems, such as inconsistent internet connection, fragmentation of systems, and high costs, that have long affected the MDU market. Our new and easy-to-deploy solution will truly empower property managers and CSPs to provide a leading and personalized customer experience, delivered with the highest degree of flexibility and hardware independence.” — David Huynh, Chief Product Officer, Plume
Watch an exclusive video on the benefits of Uprise with Plume’s Chief Product Officer, David Huynh.
Uprise is available for deployment in all of Plume’s markets globally. Get in touch with one of our experts to learn more about this exciting new product.
Calix Revenue EDGE managed home network protection service—ProtectIQ—is honored with the 2022 Cloud Computing Security Excellence Award from TMC for helping service providers be giants in their markets by protecting subscribers’ home networks from millions of web threats, intrusions, malware, and viruses this year
SAN JOSE, CA—October 27, 2022—Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX) announced today that TMC, a global, integrated media company and publisher of Cloud Computing magazine, has named ProtectIQ® a 2022 Cloud Computing Security Excellence Award winner. This is the second industry award ProtectIQ has won in 2022. The award recognizes companies that have most effectively leveraged cloud computing in their efforts to bring new, differentiated offerings to market. ProtectIQ is a Calix Revenue EDGE™ managed service that enables broadband service providers (BSPs) to easily deliver home network security protection on top of their managed Wi-Fi offerings. Calix-partnered BSPs used ProtectIQ to stop millions of intrusions from entering subscribers’ networks this year, about one every four seconds. A recent Deloitte survey of American households confirms that, in 2022, subscribers continue to work from home (45 percent), learn from home (23 percent), attend virtual health appointments (49 percent), and more. In the same survey, more than half of respondents said they are worried about the security vulnerability of connected devices. ProtectIQ is designed to simplify home network protection for subscribers, delivered by their trusted regional BSP. Subscribers access ProtectIQ through the BSP’s mobile app, built on the Calix CommandIQ® app, which BSPs can customize with their brand. The app sends push notifications and reports on threats blocked directly to the palm of the subscriber’s hand. This reinforces the value BSPs provide daily and increases subscriber loyalty.
By embracing the full Revenue EDGE platform—including Calix Cloud®, CommandIQ, and managed services—BSPs are building long-lasting subscriber relationships. Multiple Calix customers across North America proactively secure their communities against digital threats while growing their business and trust in their brands. For example:
ProtectIQ is one of 11 Calix managed services that BSPs can easily deliver to subscribers on top of their managed Wi-Fi offerings. Earlier this month, Calix announced its eighth, ninth, 10th, and 11th managed services during Calix ConneXions 2022, its annual innovation and customer success conference.
“Calix-partnered BSPs have made it clear that their mission is to improve the lives of their members and subscribers, and reducing cybersecurity risks is a significant opportunity to live that mission,” said Michael Weening, president and chief executive officer at Calix. “By offering ProtectIQ to secure their home networks, BSPs can demonstrate that protecting subscribers is not an option—it is a responsibility. With almost two dozen connected devices in the average household, subscribers are vulnerable until they have ProtectIQ. The Calix BSP demonstrates value by reporting blocked threats through their branded CommandIQ mobile app. ProtectIQ is one of 11 managed services that BSPs can deploy to solidify brand loyalty and excite their members and subscribers well beyond Wi-Fi.”
Learn how BSPs of all sizes are leveraging ProtectIQ and other managed services from Calix to build long-lasting subscriber relationships and grow their businesses.
About Calix
Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX)—Calix cloud and software platforms enable service providers of all types and sizes to innovate and transform. Our customers utilize the real-time data and insights from Calix platforms to simplify their businesses and deliver experiences that excite their subscribers. The resulting growth in subscriber acquisition, loyalty, and revenue creates more value for their businesses and communities. This is the Calix mission: to enable broadband service providers of all sizes to simplify, excite, and grow.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based upon management’s current expectations and are inherently uncertain. Forward-looking statements are based upon information available to us as of the date of this release, and we assume no obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking statement to reflect any event or circumstance after the date of this release, except as required by law. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from current expectations based on risks and uncertainties affecting Calix’s business. The reader is cautioned not to rely on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Additional information on potential factors that could affect Calix’s results and other risks and uncertainties are detailed in its quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC and available at www.sec.gov.
As a technology company with a rich history in the property technology industry, our many years in business and deep expertise solidify World Cinema and Hospitality WiFi as a credible source for technological commentary. Below are our predictions for wireless connectivity and emerging applications that will depend upon improved networks, as well as how these technologies will transform our future.
What is footfall?
Footfall is a term used to measure how many people enter, exit, and move around an area. It is becoming more commonplace in many types of venues, such as city centers, shopping malls, retail stores, casinos, stadiums, convention facilities, and campus environments. Footfall analytics is an advanced technique using Wi-Fi equipment to calculate the number of people entering a facility and other statistics relating to customers or visitor traffic. Wi-Fi footfall analytics is a counting technology that provides venue stakeholders with valuable visitor information.
Traditional ways to count the number of visitors in indoor venues requires employing people at the entrances to count the number of visitors who entered or exited. These staff members usually have a clicker in their hand to track the people who walked through the doors and report the amount at the end of each shift. In outdoor events such as parades and festivals, staff members take pictures of the crowds and literally count the number of heads they see. These methods come with several disadvantages. While it’s not only time-consuming and can be very inaccurate, employees are obligated to be stationed at the front door to ensure they obtained the correct numbers. Counting by hand can result in human error, and neither of these methods can be consistent on a 24×7 basis.
Footfall analytics is evolving from the traditional way of counting visitor traffic to using technology to track the number of people entering and exiting an area. Footfall analytics also provides companies with other relevant information, such as return visitors versus new visitors, dwell times (how long people are staying in an area), which entrances and exits are busier, how people navigate through a store, and all of this is measured consistently, 24 hours per day. It can also alert relevant staff in real-time if an area is too dense or too sparse with people, which is excellent for check-out areas or to assist with crowd control.
So how does it work?
The most common way of gathering data about customers is through the use of Wi-Fi-enabled smartphones. These devices transmit a ping while trying to find a device or router to connect to. Most enterprise-grade Wi-Fi access points can pick up these pings and report to online presence analytics software tools. Device data can then be analyzed, parsed, and even overlaid on a floorplan drawing, creating heat maps and footfall path maps. These maps can show stakeholder patterns as people browse through a store, through a mall, and even through crowded outdoor events.
Why use footfall analytics?
Footfall analytics can help companies improve sales by using the information collected to setp displays in higher traffic areas, or where people seem to dwell. Malls can use the data to measure which parts of the building are busier and during which times of the days and days of the week. Outdoor events can measure attendance trends from year to year and even see percentage of new versus returning visitors. The data can also encourage better staffing as management can plan increased employee scheduling for busier times.
GoZone WiFi is a SaaS company and leader in monetizing and managing Guest WiFi. The company offers business analytics, venue intelligence, and guest engagement using WiFi networks to deliver branded content, provide customer analytics, and display advertising.
GoZone’s Smart WiFi Suite of products enables WiFi monetization through rich location data, marketing engagements, and third-party sponsorships. GoZone’s venue intelligence enables enterprises to strategically refine operations, bridging the gap between marketing and IT.
Proprietary software is dead
Four years ago we launched OpenSync based on the belief that the battleground for the hearts, minds and revenues of the home consumer sits between Service Providers’ connectivity and the smart devices of the internet giants.
What we said then—and still believe—is that the biggest market opportunity is in that space in between. The space in the home that Communications Service Providers (CSPs) need to protect and grow. The space where a truly smart, managed WiFi solution can become the CSPs’ trump card.
A solution like our then-proprietary device middle layer—now OpenSync. It makes the “smart” possible by communicating with all of the devices in the home and with the Plume Cloud where data analytics, insights, and control messages are created to help improve services and drive personalization. Proprietary software, however, was not the answer. Like hardware, it creates vendor lock-in, starves innovation, and kills time-to-market in a world where winners need to curate and deliver new services fast.
So we made OpenSync available as an open-source, silicon-to-service framework, and set out to change the market dynamics, making it easier for developers and operators to work together to grow the overall market. Has it worked?
Since it launched, OpenSync has been adopted by over 22 CPE designers and makers around the world and deployed by over 350 CSPs including some of the largest: Bell Canada, Charter Communications, Comcast, Deutsche Glasfaser, J:COM, and Liberty Global. It is now the cloud-based framework that the industry is rallying behind. And this week we celebrate surpassing an important milestone: more than 2 billion connected devices have been managed on OpenSync-powered networks.
A platform for the future
In a competitive market where subscribers are looking for more value, OpenSync offers CPSs a key to providing an improved quality of experience, data security, and total network control. Furthermore, OpenSync helps Providers reduce their environmental footprint and build more eco-friendly strategies by extending the lifetime of their existing CPE. All OpenSync-powered CPEs—including gateways, extenders, and pods—can coexist on the same network, irrespective of device maker or WiFi generation. CSPs leveraging OpenSync create numerous business advantages, from the ability to push new services to existing hardware, deployment flexibility, and the capacity to respond to subscriber demands with unparalleled network insight.
“We’ve monitored OpenSync’s expansion closely since its inception four years ago,” said Anirudh Bhaskaran, Industry Principal from Frost and Sullivan. “The overwhelming support for the ecosystem—from standards creators such as Telecom Infra Project (TIP) to world-leading service providers including Bell, Charter Communications, and J:COM—has created significant momentum; OpenSync has quickly established itself as the global standard to enable service providers to deliver cloud-driven experiences to their subscribers.”
The promise of the smart home and intelligent small business has long required a brand-agnostic delivery platform on which this new world will be constructed—fulfilling the promise of simplicity, speed, and scale for all. Device makers and operators have been waiting for, in essence, an operating system to enable smart spaces to deliver the hyper-personalized services that consumers are coming to expect. This is exactly what partners have found through the OpenSync platform. And because an open-source network is only as good as its measurable inputs and outputs, we’re taking this milestone anniversary as an opportunity to look back on the last four years of OpenSync.
The data is in
No other industry initiative is as scaled as OpenSync. What we believed could be achieved in 2018 is now a reality: a massively rooted ecosystem which will lead to exponential growth year-over-year as we move into the future.
A thriving ecosystem
As with any open-source initiative, the best way to measure success is through a diversity of players: contributors, creators, and adopters working together to enrich the initiative. A flourishing ecosystem requires participation from all types of partners including app developers, hardware manufacturers, and operators.
OpenSync has developed a fully-functioning and thriving environment in its four years:
Operators are adopting and contributing scale and experience.
The critical mass of OpenSync’s expansion comes from CSP operators who have adopted and contributed to the codebase, fueling its enormous scale and development. Over the last four years, OpenSync has not only been adopted by some of the world’s largest carriers; it’s also been adopted by NCTC, a consortium of carriers that are collectively the third largest in the US, and by many independent carriers, including Armstrong, C3, and All West Communications. Some CSPs using OpenSync, such as All West Communications, have seen an average threefold increase in the adoption of managed WiFi services. As more Providers around the world integrate with OpenSync, the more intelligent the platform becomes, resolving customer issues proactively and remotely, reducing latency, and affording subscribers the seamless connectivity they expect.
Making the adoption of OpenSync easier to accelerate innovation
As we move into the next era of OpenSync, we are devoted to making it cost-effective, enabling the creation of new and cutting-edge applications, advancing personalization and efficiency for device makers, and making it faster and easier for CSPs to introduce and support those services and devices in the home or small business. OpenSync remains the only platform of its kind, providing the critical building blocks to enable the ecosystem to deliver data-rich, cloud-controlled services to broadband subscribers at scale, and there’s no sign of slowing.
Robinson brings a track record of success driving the advancement of Wi-Fi®
Austin, Texas – October 18, 2022 – Wi-Fi Alliance® announced the appointment of Kevin Robinson as President and Chief Executive Officer. Robinson will assume the role on October 20, 2022, upon the retirement of Edgar Figueroa. Figueroa served as President and Chief Executive Officer since 2007 and announced his plans to retire earlier this year.
“It is a privilege to lead this team into its next era of market impact and advocacy,” said Robinson, incoming President and Chief Executive Officer of Wi-Fi Alliance. “My top priority is to ensure Wi-Fi remains the premier connectivity technology and greatest digital equalizer for people around the globe by harnessing and amplifying the unmatched innovation engine that is the Wi‑Fi industry. In the coming years, Wi-Fi Alliance will continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible through connectivity, and we look forward to nurturing a growing community of product and service innovators looking to address the most pressing opportunities together.”
Robinson is a 15-year veteran of Wi-Fi Alliance and stands uniquely poised to lead the organization’s 900+ member companies in its next chapter of global impact. Serving as Wi-Fi Alliance’s VP of Marketing for the last 7 years, Robinson has led many of the organization’s most transformative initiatives and has been a leading ambassador for promoting Wi‑Fi and Wi‑Fi Alliance as a collaboration forum worldwide. Prior to joining Wi-Fi Alliance, Robinson served as a Captain in the Infantry of the United States Army. Robinson steps into the CEO role with a passion for leading the next Wi-Fi renaissance — relentlessly making the case for essential spectrum for Wi-Fi, listening to the needs of a vibrant and diverse Wi-Fi industry, and ushering in the next wave of market innovation that only Wi-Fi can deliver.
“On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Edgar for his 15 years of leadership and tireless commitment to the organization that has established Wi-Fi as a ubiquitous and fundamental driver of the global economy,” said Carlos Cordeiro, Chairman of the Wi-Fi Alliance Board of Directors. “As we move into this next generation of growth and collaboration with member companies, Kevin understands the legacy he inherits and the importance of a dynamic Wi-Fi Alliance to the continuing success of our industry. Kevin stands as a visionary leader who will invigorate this preeminent industry body as it takes on new global challenges and seizes opportunities that lay ahead.”
As Wi-Fi Alliance drives adoption and evolution of Wi-Fi, Robinson plans to lead from a place of industry outreach and unification. He plans to focus on three particular areas: securing sufficient, harmonized global Wi‑Fi spectrum, deepening engagement and cohesion across the broader Wi-Fi ecosystem, and evolving the Wi-Fi Alliance organization to ensure it is as nimble as the industry it serves.
With 900+ member companies, Wi-Fi Alliance is on the forefront of driving Wi-Fi technology adoption. Robinson is committed to maintaining the vibrancy of the organization, and to actively recruiting the next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to participate in Wi-Fi Alliance. Robinson will help Wi-Fi Alliance expand global awareness of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ and evolve as a premier collaboration forum, leading a new era of spectrum policy and amplifying the economics made possible by wireless connectivity.
About Wi-Fi Alliance® | www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi®. Members of our collaboration forum come together from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with the shared vision to connect everyone and everything, everywhere, while providing the best possible user experience. Since 2000, Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 75,000 Wi-Fi certifications. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ seal of approval designates products with proven interoperability, backward compatibility, and the highest industry-standard security protections in place. Today, Wi-Fi carries more than half of the internet’s traffic in an ever-expanding variety of applications. Wi-Fi Alliance continues to drive the adoption and evolution of Wi-Fi, which billions of people rely on every day.
Crosslink Capital led the round with participation of existing investors
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct.12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Airvine’s mission is to develop an entirely new in-building network architecture that addresses the dynamic nature of today’s enterprise. To that end, we have developed the most innovative piece of technology to come along in decades. It enables the network to be as agile, flexible, and adaptable as the business it supports. WaveTunnel™ technology will become Generally Available in Q4 of this year, and the proceeds from this round will be used to ramp up sales, marketing, engineering, and manufacturing. More on the WaveTunnel solution can be found at: https://airvine.com/product/
“We are always on the lookout for early-stage technology companies that are creating category defining products”
The Series A round raised a total of $10 million and was led by Crosslink Capital with all existing investors participating. Michael Stark, the Founding Partner at Crosslink Capital, will be joining the Airvine Board of Directors.
“We are always on the lookout for early-stage technology companies that are creating category defining products that will transform the IT world. The Airvine vision is especially compelling in this regard, as In-building enterprise networks have seen very little innovation over the last several decades. The situation was ripe for an aggressive new entrant that would tap into the enterprise need for networks that are far more dynamic than what legacy solutions can provide,” stated Mr. Stark
During the pilot testing phase, Airvine saw interest from a wide variety of enterprise market verticals including hospitality, MDUs, warehousing, manufacturing, office buildings, and heritage buildings with speed and ease of deployment identified as key advantages. Broadband access was enabled successfully across a wide range of configurations, and in a matter of minutes or hours rather than weeks or months. The system has the bandwidth to easily handle broadband access technologies like Wi-Fi 6E and 7.
“Airvine’s timing couldn’t be better, we are seeing a major industry transition toward Wi-Fi 6E, and WaveTunnel technology is tailor-made to accelerate that move. It delivers broadband speeds, it’s quick and easy to deploy, and very robust. The other major industry trend we are tracking is the Internet-of-things. IOT networks are beginning to dominate in factories and warehouses, and that involves having to add yet another access network for security reasons. We love how easy it is to do this with Airvine technology,” said Claus Hetting, CEO of Wi-Fi NOW “Airvine technology is truly a game changer and will completely revolutionize the way indoor networks are deployed”
The Airvine value proposition centers around quick installs in any kind of building, effortless moves, adds, and changes, gigabit/sec data rates, no business disruptions during installs, excels in difficult situations, ideal when you have multiple access networks, and it avoids the large sunk cost of legacy solutions. For more on what others are saying: https://airvine.com/testimonials/
Vivek Ragavan, CEO of Airvine, said “We now have the funding in-place to accelerate our push into enterprise accounts worldwide. This will require that we continue to scale up the entire organization. We are also thrilled with the pace at which channel partners have been flocking to our banner. The future is looking very bright, and we are delighted to have Crosslink Capital as part of the team.”
About Airvine
Airvine’s mission is to develop an entirely new in-building network architecture that addresses the dynamic nature of the modern enterprise. Our technology leverages the convergence of 60 GHz beamforming technology, with layer 2 switching, and sophisticated software to create a solution that is far more agile, flexible, and adaptable than the legacy solutions of the past.
About Crosslink Capital
Crosslink, founded in 1989, is a Bay Area-based early-stage venture capital firm with over $5B in assets under management. Crosslink partners with founders that are market disruptors and category creators, typically at the Seed through Series A stage, across highly dynamic enterprise and consumer technology sectors. Our investments include Equinix, Pandora, Blue Arc, Coupa, Virage Logic, BetterUp and Chime along with over 300 other companies. For more information visit www.crosslinkcapital.com
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SOURCE Airvine
In our previous post about Secure and Seamless Carrier Wi-Fi Services with Passpoint, we explained the differences between the Wi-Fi Alliance Passpoint® versions (R1-R3) and the challenge at this point in time with sufficient device support for the latest releases, Passpoint R2 and R3. In this post, we will discuss how it is possible to overcome these challenges by taking a pragmatic approach to Passpoint, using the least common denominator Passpoint R1 and the Captive Portal API.
At Enea, we strongly believe that standards drive down costs and improve the user experience. But, it is not enough if we in the telecom industry are ready for Passpoint R2 and R3, if the devices aren’t. It takes two to tango.
The Captive Portal API
The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Captive Portal API (RFC8908 and RFC8910), introduced in September 2020, is a game-changer.
The Captive Portal API does not only improve the user experience in connection with traditional Captive Portal implementations. We believe that the Captive Portal API – in combination with Passpoint R1 – has the potential to deliver much of the user experience that Passpoint R2 and R3 were designed to accomplish.
The adoption of Captive Portal API among handset manufacturers has also been fast. Google was first to support the Captive Portal API for Android 11, and Apple soon followed with support in iOS14 and macOS Big Sur. With a critical mass of supporting devices, adoption across all the major operating systems appears imminent.
The Captive Portal API gives service management platforms, such as the Aptilo Service Management Platform™ (SMP), greater control of the Captive Portal flows for traditional hotspots. As a result, users will experience a more reliable service than ever before.
The overall user experience will also benefit hugely from the Captive Portal API. We have traditionally designed Access Gateways to intercept the user web request and redirect it to a Captive Portal. With the Captive Portal API, the gateway does not need to intercept such requests. Instead, when users join the Wi-Fi network and receive an IP address via DHCP (or Router Advertisement in IPv6), the DHCP server also provides the URL to the Captive Portal API. This will trigger the device to query the API to determine whether it is in captive mode, which is the state of captivity when device does not have access to internet. If the device is in the captive mode, it will open the captive portal for the user to perform login or sign-up. Devices that support the Captive Network Assistant (CNA) browser will open the captive portal on the CNA browser. If the API says the device is not in captive mode, the device will proceed directly to the Internet.
It takes time for new standards to be natively implemented in every device, so there might be some details in the Captive Portal API that still needs to be implemented for some devices. However, the standardized interaction between the device and the captive portal, as defined in the Captive Portal API, is always there to help devices determine their state and auxiliary information, such as the remaining session time or data. This allows the device to take action before it reaches the time or data limits, allowing the user to extend the session in a controlled way. This provides a smoother interaction between the device and the Wi-Fi service management system. Previously, with the guesswork of device-only captive portal detection and system-only control, the device was unaware of what was happening after authentication. This could cause sessions that appear to freeze after the session time or data has run out.
Venue Info URL
Another benefit of the Captive Portal API is that it can also provide a Venue Info URL. This excellent feature allows service providers to empower their B2B customers to engage with users locally with information and offers. In current implementations, the user receives the link to the Venue Info URL via an on-screen system message appearing as a text alert available during the session. The message remains on their lock screen and in their message history. This makes it easy to go back to the Venue Info URL, as the message history is typically just a swipe away.
The Venue Info URL will appear when the user connects manually by selecting an open SSID or automatically through a secure Passpoint-enabled network. It will also offer otherwise anonymous Network Providers a way to show local information and customized advertising to users that connect through, for instance, OpenRoaming or Orion WiFi, described later in this paper.
To offer the user a portal experience like this on a secure SSID is something new to ensure venue owners can engage with users. This is crucial for making secure Wi-Fi the norm rather than the prevalent open SSID.
A Pragmatic Approach Building from Passpoint R1
We believe that the Captive Portal API, in combination with Passpoint R1, can deliver much of the user experience that Passpoint R2 and R3 were designed to accomplish.
It would make no sense to build special signup flows for the few devices that support an end-to-end Wi-Fi service based on Passpoint R2/R3. Why not use the R1 support as the least common denominator?
Devices that have not yet been provisioned for Passpoint R1 by other means, such as through a SIM profile (EAP-SIM/AKA) or App (EAP-TLS/TTLS), have to be provisioned ad-hoc through a sign-up portal over an open SSID or in advance via another connection.
The user will then download and install the Passpoint profile on their device. For Android phones, it is as easy as a click on a link and confirm installation, whereas users of other devices, such as iPhones, may need support from device-specific instructions at the portal before download. Once the Passpoint profile is installed, we will restart the Wi-Fi connection. When the device re-connects, it will be logged in to the secure SSID (802.1x) stated in the Passpoint profile. The Captive Portal API can then be used for approval of terms and conditions for new users or existing users if there is a need for an update. The Venue Info URL can also optionally be used to display venue-specific information and promotions.
Add Passpoint R2-R3 Later
Support for Passpoint R2/R3 can be added later when a critical mass of device support has been achieved.
Note that we have moved the approval of terms and conditions from the sign-up page to the first connection on the Passpoint-enabled network. This means that the process can also be used for already provisioned devices and devices with Passpoint R2 support, as well as the large volume of devices that only support R1. Users of Passpoint R1 who sign-up at the site will see this as almost one flow since the connection can be terminated right after a user has installed the profile. A user will then immediately return as pre-provisioned.
Online signup through the R2 online signup server (OSU) has many benefits to users once there is sufficient device support.
It remains to be seen if the benefits of Passpoint R3 terms and conditions and user engagement features will be significant or if it would be more beneficial to use the same processes as with Passpoint R1/R2 capable devices (dotted line in the figure).
HFCL partners with Qualcomm to launch world’s first Open source Wi-Fi 7 products under its IO product line
HFCL Limited, the leading high-tech enterprise and integrated next-gen communication product and solution provider in collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. launches world’s first Open source Wi-Fi 7 Access Points under its IO product line at India Mobile Congress, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi on 01 October 2022.
HFCL becomes the first OEM to launch Open source Wi-Fi 7 Access Points, based on the IEEE 802.11be – a revolutionary Wi-Fi technology that is designed to deliver Extremely High Throughput (EHT), higher spectral efficiency, better interference mitigation, and Real Time Applications (RTA) support. Wi-Fi 7 uses faster connections with 320MHz and 4kQAM, multiple connections with Multi Link operation and Adaptive Connections for adaptive interference puncturing to deliver all enhanced user’s experience while offering better power efficiency. Compared to all improvements in previous Wi-Fi standards, Wi-Fi 7 promises a huge technological leap, offering an immersive experience to its users, ushering the world towards a digitally stronger path. HFCL’s Wi-Fi 7 APs will support peak data rates of over 10 Gbps and will offer latency under 2 ms compared to 5 Gbps and 10 ms of current Wi-fi 6 products.
Backed by strong R&D focus, HFCL’s Wi-Fi 7 product line will enable tech providers such as telecom operators, Internet service providers, system integrators, and network administrators to offer mission critical and real time application services and deliver better user experience than ever before. The new Wi-Fi 7 product portfolio has a wide range of dual band and tri-band indoor and outdoor variants.
All the Wi-Fi 7 variants will be shipped with open source software making these the first Wi-Fi 7 Access points in the industry to support Open standards. Open standards promote disaggregated Wi-Fi system offered as free open-source software with an aim to offer advanced global connectivity ensuring interoperability in multi-vendor scenario.
Speaking about the launch of this revolutionary product line, Mr. Mahendra Nahata, MD, HFCL said, “We are immensely proud to be the first Indian company to launch Wi-Fi 7 product line in market and the first in the world to offer an Open source Wi-Fi 7 portfolio. Our Wi-Fi 7 portfolio is based on the latest Wi-Fi 7 Qualcomm® Networking Pro Series Platforms and offers better features than any commercial products available in market today. We are really thankful to the Qualcomm Technologies teams for working closely with us and supporting us to make this possible. Ahead of the 5G revolution in India and globally, our Wi-Fi 7 launch is a revolutionary move helping us deliver an immersive experience to our customers globally and putting India in the forefront of global technology leadership.”
Mr. Nahata further added, “Launch of this product line will have several industrial applications especially like the Internet of Things (IoT) and IIoT applications, supporting advancements in Cloud/Edge Computing, Cloud gaming, and other xR-based applications. The very low latency and extremely high bandwidth have many use cases in the medical field as well, especially bringing healthcare facilities to remote locations. It is set to bring us a step closer to the Metaverse and will mitigate network congestion by delivering better connectivity experiences in high density areas and areas with numerous overlapping networks. Our investment in R&D and focus on continuous innovation has enabled us to roll out this futuristic product for users, across the globe. This also aligns with our strategy to roll out new products, reach new customers, and tap new geographies in the coming years.”
The launch of Wi-Fi 7 will primarily complement the new 5G rollout in the country especially for complementing indoor coverage. Further, the technology with its higher throughput, reliable network performance, and lower latency will facilitate the development of various applications. For enterprises, Wi-Fi 7 technology will benefit the Internet of Things (IoT) and IIoT applications such as surveillance, remote control industrial automation, AV/VR/XR, and other video-based applications. It will also increase the number of remote offices, real-time collaborations, and online video conferencing, with many advancements in Cloud/Edge Computing, and Cloud gaming.
Commenting on this, Mr. Rajen Vagadia, Vice President, Qualcomm India Private Limited and President of Qualcomm India & SAARC said “Wi-Fi 7 brings a multitude of features that can be used to offer extreme speeds, high capacity, and low latency in support of next-generation applications and services. Managing and optimizing the various available spectrum bands is perhaps the signature differentiator for Wi-Fi 7. Together, with 5G, it will help us build a truly digital India, with inclusive and equitable socioeconomic development of both the urban and the rural parts of the country. In the years ahead, both these technologies will be at the heart of a very wide range of use cases, driving innovation and growth across all industries, sectors, and spheres of human activity. We are proud and privileged to work with HFCL on yet another Made-in-India range of products.”
About HFCL
HFCL is a leading technology company specialising in creating digital networks for telcos, enterprises and governments. Over the years, HFCL has emerged as a trusted partner offering sustainable high tech solutions with a commitment to provide the latest technology products to its customers. Our strong R&D expertise coupled with our global system integration services and decades of experience in fibre optics enable us to deliver innovative digital network solutions required for the most advanced networks.
The Company’s in-house R&D Centres located at Gurgaon & Bengaluru along with invested R&D Houses and other R&D collaborators at different locations in India and abroad, innovate futuristic range of technology products and solutions. HFCL has developed capabilities to provide premium quality Optical Fiber and Optical Fiber Cables , state-of-the-art telecom products including 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) products, 5G Transport Products, WiFi Systems (WiFi 6, WiFi 7), Unlicensed Band Radios, Switches, Routers and Software Defined Radios.
The Company has state-of-the-art Optical Fiber and Optical Fiber Cable manufacturing plants at Hyderabad, Optical Fiber Cable manufacturing plant in Goa and in its subsidiary HTL Limited at Chennai.
We are a partner of choice for our customers across India, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and USA. Our commitment to quality and environmental sustainability inspires us to innovate solutions for the ever-evolving customer needs.
