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LitePoint’s Rex Chen is the author of this blog post based on his webinar discussing the evolving wireless networks within automobiles –for communication within and outside the automobile. This post focuses on the emerging C-V2X wireless communications standards and how to maintain required performance and reliability.

C-V2X and the Future of Automotive Connectivity

The car of the future will increasingly depend on multiple wireless networks – one for communication within the vehicle and one for communications between the car and the external environment. Quality connectivity is important for both of these networks, but the external network – called the cellular vehicle to external environment (C-V2X) – has several unique challenges that we will explore in this blog post.

Before I go into depth on C-V2X, let’s talk a bit about technologies involved with inside the car networks. The two most established technologies are Bluetooth and Wi-Fi which are used to enable hands-free infotainment dash controls, mobile device connectivity, Internet access and other data features. The relative newcomer to internal data networking is ultra-wideband (UWB), which is an emerging wireless standard that offers high precision location services and security. In a car key fob, for example, it provides a much more secure way to lock and unlock the car.

C-V2X

While these technologies will make the mark in automotive applications and infotainment systems, lets dive further into C-V2X for external connectivity. The X is used as a wild card to represent the communication network outside the vehicle – including other cars, roadside units, and pedestrians. C-V2X standards are part of the 3GPP standards that govern 5G networking.

The 3GPP standard has had C-V2X communications support since Release 14 (2017). This capability was basic and served as a way to communicate safety messages between vehicles. Today, customer expectations are more sophisticated and there is a need for more throughput and reliability features.

3GPP Release 16 brought with it important changes for C-V2X connectivity via enhancements made to 5g New Radio (NR) standards that are used in C-V2X applications. These enhancements made NR even more reliable and efficient. The changes also deliver better support for MIMO antennas and enhancements to Ultra Low Latency Communication (URLLC).

The standard also includes the NR-based sidelink network that offers direct communications with other vehicles without passing through the cellular basestation. This enables safety features such as collision avoidance and cooperative lane changing. Recently, in the United States, the FCC dedicated the 5.9 GHz spectrum band for intelligent sidelink-based direct link transportation systems. This spectrum has a fairly short transmission range of about 1 km, which makes it good for disseminating information like car speed, location, braking speed and other safety data.

One sidelink use case that is getting a lot of attention is “platooning,” where trucks or cars travel together connected by the network. Platooning only works with networks that offer near zero packet drops, instantaneous latency of 10 milliseconds or less and extremely high reliability.

Sidelink networks also feature an adaptable modulation and coding system (MCS) that enables the system to adapt packet length and data throughput depending on the characteristics of the vehicle and whether it is traveling at slow, medium or fast speed. This means that the system can adapt to a car’s speed; for example, if a braking event happens at 50 mph, the network will see a lot more messages as all of the cars on that road report that event. Thus, it’s important to propagate data more frequently.

ADAS

One important application that C-V2X enables is advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). ADAS is the foundation for self-driving cars. ADAS technology is continually being refined as it passes through multiple stages and levels of technology build out before it becomes a standard feature. Today’s ADAS are built using a lot of the complementary sensing technologies – such as cameras, radar and lidar – that will be required for autonomous vehicles.

Network Quality is Essential

Lives are on the line as people drive in their C-V2X-enabled cars, which means thorough testing is essential. Car manufacturers can either build their own C-V2X functionality by integrating the required RF components, or they can use pre-engineered RF modules that include all the required ICs and antennas. Either way, testing is required.

The picture above shows that the test flow for sub 6 GHz and millimeter wave frequencies starts with the SMT board that undergoes conductor mode testing. In these tests, an antenna is connected to the board so that calibration and verification tests can run. These tests cover transmission, power, signal quality and EBM. From the receiver side, there are sensitivity tests.

After the chip level testing is complete, it is time for the module to be tested, which includes the actual antenna that will be used in the final product. This will be done using a radiated test also known as an over the air (OTA) test.

LitePoint C-V2X Test Systems

Some of LitePoint’s key products for testing C-V2X applications include the IQcell-5G, which is a sub-6Ghz signaling test system that tests call establishment, antenna performance and measures throughput.

This test system is a simple-to-use 5G signaling test solution designed for end-of-line manufacturing, software regression and functional performance testing. The flexible system can validate RF parametric measurements, end-to-end throughput, MIMO, mobility, and user experience testing across cellular and cellular-capable connectivity devices such as smartphones, CPEs, laptops, tablets, hotspots and cars.

The IQxstream-5G FR1 tester is another option that offers multi-DUT connectivity ideal for production environments. This non-signaling tester covers 5G along with 4G LTE and other legacy cellular technologies covering the low band frequency range.

C-V2X technology offers exciting possibilities for enhanced safety and fuel efficiency, but these networks need to be reliable and high performance. For more of my thoughts on this topic, watch my recent webinar titled: The Future of Automotive Connectivity and Communication Test Solutions.

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August 17, 2022

Wi-Fi 6 Test as a Service Tackles Complexity with Ease

By:Patrick Johnson

August 16, 2022 · 3 min read

Learn how TaaS for Wi-Fi devices can support organizations that may not have their own labs or expertise to execute the range of performance tests the industry now requires.

Enterprises and consumers alike have come to rely heavily on Wi-Fi. It’s a familiar cycle: users push Wi-fi to its breaking point and new iterations are ushered in to address the next wave of demand.

Most recently, Wi-Fi 6 and now Wi-Fi 6E have introduced advanced technologies to support the latest needs. These advancements are getting the job done but have introduced a range of complexities to accomplish increasingly impressive connectivity feats.

For instance, Wi-Fi 6 completely changed the radio interface. Instead of simply managing radio interface resources with one access point, Wi-Fi 6 now looks a lot more like cellular, with mesh networks comprising multiple access points and extenders to achieve fuller coverage.

In some ways, the new Wi-Fi generation is a bigger quantum shift in technology than what cellular has gone through as it migrates from 4G to 5G.

But what are the implications on testing?

Wi-Fi 6/6E advancements make device testing more complex than ever

For decades, Wi-Fi device simplicity limited the need for testing standards.

This is changing.

The latest iterations demand standards implementations to ensure interoperability and quality of service.

The Broadband Forum provides specifications for single access points or routers. The Wi-Fi Alliance is attacking performance testing standards and European groups are working on mesh test performance standards. Any gaps in standards are filled by test vendors like Spirent that create proprietary test scripts.

At the same time, the number of Wi-Fi 6/6E devices are growing. These newer devices provide more robust functionality and support increasingly stringent applications. They often reside in mesh networks.

Wi-Fi device testing needs to account for the variable conditions in which these emergent devices are expected to thrive. To accomplish this, the latest testing practices see devices isolated from outside interference in anechoic chambers that require specialized technical expertise. Testbeds are expected to create realistic conditions and enable test repeatability through programmable testing environments. These protocols must evolve as new standards are introduced.

The costs and complexities of establishing, managing, and configuring a comprehensive future-ready Wi-Fi testing lab can be daunting and expensive.

Test as a Service for comprehensive, rapid results

For Wi-Fi to remain relatively low-cost, seamless, and ubiquitous, the industry needs an easy and economical way to test all the new Wi-Fi devices coming to market.

Manufacturers want to ensure devices meet standards. Sales and marketing groups are looking for competitive benchmarking data. Service providers want to validate device updates and enterprises want to compare options.

Building and managing a Wi-Fi test lab might not be economical nor timely for those who are not prepared or don’t have access to the appropriate resources and staffing. This is especially true as the goalposts continue to move in a Wi-Fi 6/6E world. This is giving rise to managed services that alleviate much of the cost, expertise, and infrastructure burdens associated with the latest testing demands.

With Test as a Service, devices are sent to the Wi-Fi lab, standard or customized realistic tests are selected, and the tests are run. Detailed analysis of the device’s performance and any issues found are documented with comprehensive empirical data. Automated test scripts are essential for reducing costs and enabling scalability and test reproducibility.

TaaS for Wi-Fi Devices manages every aspect of device performance testing

The entire process is managed by the Test as a Service provider, which operates a comprehensive lab testbed, testing chambers, and automated test cases. They hire and train the experts and stay up to date on standards.

Test as a Service delivers myriad benefits, including:

No CapEx investment for test systems or new Wi-Fi 6E hardware
Support from experienced, Wi-Fi test experts with market leading expertise on the latest requirements
Access to industry-leading Wi-Fi testbeds and tools that emulate real world scenarios
Time saved researching, training, and keeping up to date on changing test scripts and standards
Consistent, reproducible, validated test results that are respected by industry stakeholders at large
Improved time to market based on minimal startup time and rapid analysis

If device testing is not your core competency or if you need added support, Wi-Fi Test as a Service is a faster, less expensive approach. Learn about Spirent’s Test as a Service for Wi-Fi devices.

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August 17, 2022

Calix Offers World’s Largest Portfolio of Managed Wi-Fi 6E Systems, Enabling BSPs To Deliver Complete Coverage to Homes, Businesses, and Communities

08/16/2022

With a complete portfolio of managed Wi-Fi 6E systems for the Revenue EDGE platform, broadband service providers of any size have the ultimate flexibility to easily adopt and deploy any system in mere weeks—with no back-office complexity—to deliver complete coverage and address a wide range of use cases, including farms, festivals, parks, restaurants, and more, so they can differentiate from competitors, build their brand, and grow value in their communities

SAN JOSE, CA, August 16, 2022—Calix, Inc. (NYSE: CALX) today announced the launch of the GigaPro™ u6he, expanding the world’s most comprehensive portfolio of carrier-class Wi-Fi 6E systems for the Calix Revenue EDGE™ platform. A temperature-hardened outdoor Wi-Fi 6E system, the GigaPro u6he is the latest addition to the growing family of 6E-enabled indoor and outdoor systems from Calix. These include the GigaSpire® BLAST u6e and the GigaSpire BLAST u6me. Because all Calix systems are integrated with Revenue EDGE, broadband service providers (BSPs) have unrivaled flexibility to mix and match systems, while cutting deployment time to just weeks and reducing back-office and integration complexity. With this unrivaled portfolio, BSPs of any size can be first to market with blazing-fast Wi-Fi 6E connectivity and more than twice the coverage area of traditional Wi-Fi systems. This enables BSPs to address a wide range of use cases—such as farms, restaurant patios, and backyards—and deliver speeds that support the way subscribers live, work, and play. At the same time, the GigaPro u6he sets the stage for BSPs to expand into lucrative new markets and deliver managed Wi-Fi and services to small businesses and communities. The portfolio of 6E-enabled systems also allows BSPs to secure their status as market leaders by delivering additional value-added, managed services available with the Revenue EDGE. Calix launched the newest of these services (Bark social media monitoring and Servify device protection) last week. Calix-partnered BSPs can leverage the power of the Revenue EDGE platform to win against even the biggest consumer-direct competitors while growing value for their communities for generations to come.

The expanded, carrier-class Wi-Fi 6E portfolio enables broadband service providers to:

Build brand value by being first to market with outdoor Wi-Fi 6E technology—keeping subscribers out of big box stores for the latest innovation. By leveraging the Revenue EDGE platform, BSPs can deploy the GigaPro u6he to deliver outdoor speed and range unrivaled by any consumer-direct retailer. Just as important, BSPs deliver their unmatched outdoor service on a system that they—not a consumer giant—own. The power of the platform also enables them to stand behind their service with exceptional customer support that further grows subscriber loyalty.
Grow revenue by expanding into new markets, including business and community Wi-Fi. The GigaPro u6he system creates a community Wi-Fi 6E mesh network that lets BSPs grow exceptional value by delivering what others won’t to their non-residential customers. The system enables businesses and community organizations to offer outdoor Wi-Fi 6E services that they scale up and down as needed and even create private networks for public safety departments.
Continuously excite subscribers with managed services, including parental controls, home network security, and more. Calix offers a rapidly growing ecosystem of subscriber-facing managed services in the Revenue EDGE so BSPs can delight their subscribers. Because the GigaPro u6he integrates seamlessly with Revenue EDGE, BSPs can easily mix and match systems and deploy them in mere weeks, with minimal integration complexity. Once these systems are in place, BSPs can then deliver premium value-added services to subscribers at home and on the go. Calix regularly adds new managed services for the Revenue EDGE platform so BSPs can quickly go to market and deliver differentiated value to subscribers. Last week alone, Calix launched its sixth and seventh managed services: Bark and Servify.
Simplify their business by reducing OPEX associated with lengthy, resource-draining integration efforts. In addition to delivering the world’s most extensive portfolio of Wi-Fi 6E systems, Calix practically eliminates OPEX associated with integration testing, allowing new systems to be deployed in days instead of weeks or months. The GigaPro u6he also offers the option of using Power over Ethernet (PoE) functionality, eliminating the need for expensive electrical connectivity installations.

“Wi-Fi 6E is strategic for us as it becomes more important for our customers,” said Ken Johnson, chief executive officer of WWest Communications, which serves remote communities in southwestern Washington state. “We’re currently deploying 10-gigabit capability to the home. As the Internet of Things ramps up and our subscribers upgrade to 6 GHz-compatible devices, they’re going to want the latest and greatest technology. Having access to a full portfolio of Calix Wi-Fi 6E systems in the Revenue EDGE platform is going to be key for us as we look to deploy multi-gigabit speeds supported by value-added services, and expand into new markets.”

Calix Professional Services enables BSPs to take full advantage of the growing family of GigaPro u6he and GigaSpire BLAST systems. Specifically, Calix Deployment Enablement Services enables BSPs to drive consistent, repeatable, and high-quality execution of premises and access installations. The EDGE Enablement Workshop provides hands-on technical and platform training that accelerates team readiness to deploy and support the new solutions faster and with confidence.

“With this portfolio of Wi-Fi 6E-enabled systems, even the smallest BSP becomes unstoppable against any market competitor,” said Michael Weening, president and chief operating officer of Calix. “Not only can they deliver the great experiences subscribers want and need today—blazing-fast Wi-Fi along with managed services—they also keep subscribers out of big box stores for the latest innovation. Service providers that embrace the GigaPro u6he can now deliver Wi-Fi anywhere it’s needed—subscribers can enjoy connectivity by the pool, barn, or back patio. At the same time, the BSP can grow its business by expanding into new markets. And the power of the Revenue EDGE platform means even the smallest BSPs can deploy the GigaPro u6he system without any rip-and-replace hassles, while shrinking integration time to days or weeks instead of months. By offering the world’s only portfolio of 6E systems, Calix enables BSPs to become the provider of choice throughout their communities. When BSPs partner with Calix, they get everything they need to simplify their business, excite subscribers, be the undisputed leader in their market.

Discover how the GigaPro u6he and GigaSpire BLAST systems, part of the world’s most comprehensive Wi-Fi 6E portfolio, deliver the ultimate Wi-Fi experience to subscribers at home and away.

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 create 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.

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August 11, 2022

GoZone WiFi Founder & CEO featured in Gambling Insider

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August 9, 2022

[Press Release]

Spirent “Send Us Your Device” Service Opens Up New Routes For Wi-Fi Equipment Testing

Unique TaaS option enables Wi-Fi manufacturers to access the most sophisticated test procedures on an as-required basis

FREDERICK, MD – August 9, 2022 – Spirent Communications plc (LSE:SPT), the leading provider of test and assurance solutions for next-generation devices and networks, today announced the launch of a new “Send Us Your Device” Test as a Service (TaaS) option for Wi-Fi customers. The first of its kind from a manufacturer of advanced Wi-Fi testbeds, the service allows access to the advanced capabilities of Spirent’s OCTOBOX emulation and testing solution to organizations where the capital expenditure and considerable expertise required to own and manage such complex test setups may not be an option.The growing complexity of Wi-Fi technology is requiring developers and manufacturers to rethink their approach to performance testing for new Wi-Fi enabled devices. The progression of Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, growth of mesh multi-point access networks, and expectations around 5G and Wi-Fi convergence are creating new application and business models which require fresh approaches to testing.“Owning and managing complex test setups for rapidly evolving Wi-Fi technologies may not make business sense for some manufacturers and developers,” says Doug Roberts, general manager of Spirent’s Lifecycle Service Assurance business. “As the recognized market leader in Wi-Fi emulation and test capabilities, this new Spirent service addresses the needs of these businesses by providing instant access to advanced testing and failure analysis that will greatly reduce their time to market and increase quality of performance.”The new service is targeted at companies with Wi-Fi testing needs but little or no onsite test facilities of their own, as well as organizations like chipset developers, IoT and consumer device makers, and network equipment manufacturers that need to perform regular Wi-Fi testing but may not have the in-house expertise to create, deploy and efficiently execute the range of performance tests the industry now requires. It is anticipated that Spirent OCTOBOX owners and others with existing labs will also find the service beneficial when they experience occasional bandwidth overflow at their own testing facility.

Available to customers globally, the service is based at Spirent’s Massachusetts research facility where OCTOBOX testbeds are developed and manufactured. This allows Spirent to easily scale up and down testing services for customers based on their ever-changing needs and leverage the company’s unrivalled Wi-Fi emulation and testing expertise. The Spirent lab also provides test environments that are engineered with optimized hardware to ensure all devices are validated against the highest quality standards accepted for deployment by carriers and enterprises, such as TR-398 and RFC 2544.

“While many test facilities use software-based testbeds, these are unable to perform realistic test scenarios that model actual deployments,” said Roberts. “They often lack the ability to produce deterministic results which is essential for repeatability. By utilizing our OCTOBOX testbeds along with our automation framework, we emulate real world scenarios such as congestion, interference, distance, and movement – all of which affect the quality of the user experience.”

For more information about Spirent’s Test as a Service for Wi-Fi Devices, visit www.spirent.com/products/wi-fi-testing-services.

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August 3, 2022

5 reasons why CSPs should move service delivery to the cloud

New technologies, the digitization of services, changing consumer demands, and increased competition are disrupting the landscape for Communications Services Providers (CSPs). To remain competitive and differentiate in this evolving market, CSPs can no longer rely on existing business models or legacy hardware and software solutions. 20-50% of revenues for some CSPs now come from nontraditional services.

With the commoditization of basic connectivity services, CSPs face both challenges and opportunities. By embracing digital transformation, they can harness the power of the cloud and create new sources of revenue.

Here’s why CSPs should look to the cloud as the enabler for growth and transformation.

Respond to changing consumer behaviors. Consumers are increasingly seeking over-the-top (OTT) content that’s easily accessible via their TV screens. The abundance of streaming content has led to a massive number of subscribers “cutting the cord” altogether.

31.2 million estimated US households cut the cord in 2020 35.4% of US households are projected to be cord-cutters by 2024. At the same time, consumers are embracing smart home devices and services, as well as shifting more interactions online. 1.4 billion smart home devices are estimated to be shipped per year by 2025. For CSPs, these converging trends create an opportunity to figure out how to deploy new services that can meet consumer demands—and the cloud unlocks those opportunities. Increase competitiveness in an evolving market. The market is seeing dramatic changes. According to Gartner, “Cloud-native CSPs are emerging as aggressive challengers, and leading incumbent CSPs are expanding on efforts to virtualize their networks and adopt cloud-native capabilities.” But CSPs are no longer competing only with industry peers. Outside players—both OTT and technology companies—have been entering the market, offering services aimed at taking over the home.

Everyone from Apple to Facebook is rolling out new content and services, vying for consumer attention. These disruptors are:

Adopting innovative business models. Creating compelling offerings that divert customers away from traditional CSPs. Building out their own infrastructure, reducing their reliance on CSPs.

All these changes mean further erosion of revenue—and CSPs will need to turn to technology like cloud computing to catch up.

Develop and implement new services faster.

Percentage of businesses in 2020 accelerated digital transformation programs that reinvented how they deliver digital experiences to customers and employees. 38%. In today’s always-on world, customers expect their service providers to offer upgrades and new services faster than ever. Traditionally, however, rolling out new services has been a challenge for CSPs due to the costs and labor involved.

As consumers embrace more digital and personalized experiences, a cloud-based service architecture enables CSPs to:

Decouple the service delivery from hardware and move it to the cloud. Deploy new and future services quickly and efficiently through software updates.

Improve ability to deliver services at mass scale.

Traditional IT architecture creates barriers to reaching consumers at mass scale. Outside players such as technology giants have broken these barriers by embracing web-scale architectures. The cloud levels the playing field, enabling CSPs to do the same.

Benefits of a cloud-based service delivery platform include:

Delivery of new services at scale without expanding IT resources and hardware. Opportunities to expand not only services but also new market segments, such as small business subscribers.

The B2B market is especially promising as even the smallest businesses adopt technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and data analytics, creating a bigger demand for the digital infrastructure and services that CSPs can offer.

98% of businesses were using IoT by the end of 2021

Eliminate vendor dependency and lock-in.

The smart home has grown more sophisticated, requiring new technology such as mesh devices to maintain quality WiFi connectivity. But consumers have limited options for upgrades and new services because the hardware provided by specific vendors has limits.

A cloud-based services platform Removes those limitations by eliminating the vendor lock-in. Allows CSPs to deliver uniform customer experiences regardless of the hardware and firmware in the home. Many CSPs are already taking advantage of the power of the cloud to pursue new business opportunities, improve service to their customers, and create additional revenue streams. The new differentiators are technologies such as data analytics and AI. But to get there, the cloud is an essential step. CSPs that don’t take this step soon will be left behind.

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August 3, 2022

What is a Captive Portal?

What is Captive Portal?

Many people have come across captive portals and may not have even realized it. When people log into the guest WiFi in a place of business, a captive portal is what they must go through to use the WiFi network. A captive portal is a splash page on their mobile device, tablet, or laptop that displays information asking users to the web.

Most captive portals will contain a list of the terms and services, or they may ask for some simple personal details before they prompt users to agree to the terms before allowing access.

Once guests agree, the captive portal can manage users’ access and engage at critical points in the visit. Businesses use these portals to capture essential insights into customers that physically access their location versus their webpage.

In today’s highly tech-savvy world, people demand easy access to fast internet anywhere they go. Even in the age where telecommunications companies offer unlimited data, that data can only stretch so far, and sometimes, service can be a little spotty. We can all relate to being at a sports game, a festival, or a concert without a signal – it’s the worst.

When people visit a coffee shop, hotel, or event venue and want to access the internet without using their data plan, they will opt to connect to the business’s guest WiFi. In utilizing captive portals, enterprises have begun to use a way to accommodate the growing needs for accessible WiFi while collecting essential data on their guests to help with their marketing efforts.

Benefits of Using a Captive Portal

Businesses worldwide can use captive portals to support their marketing strategies and help companies make changes needed to increase customer or guest satisfaction and loyalty. Using captive portals can benefit businesses by:

Use Captive Portal to Collect essential Customer Data and Contact Data

Businesses can customize captive portals to include fields to request additional information to collect accurate and rich data to build robust customer profiles. Collect data such as name, age, location, emails, gender, etc. Making a detailed customer profile can help marketing teams create more targeted marketing strategies. 

Providing a Level of Security

Using a captive portal protects both the user and the business. The built-in security features can secure online business assets and protect users from phishing scams. The firm is also protected by freeing itself from liability for illegal online behavior.

Set Limits to Prevent Users from Hogging Bandwidth

Many public places can attract people who might sit for extended periods of time, and bog down the internet with their increased use. Setting up time limits can prevent users from staying connected for too long or set download limits to avoid large downloads to free up bandwidth – giving other users access.

Using GoZone Smart WiFi captive portals at your place of business can be a convenient way to collect insights on the customers visiting your physical locations. Captive portals can help increase engagement, brand awareness, and customer profiles, improving businesses’ ROI and increasing overall revenue. 

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August 3, 2022

GoZone Helps Gaming Industry Understand Players’ Behaviors and Preferences to Drive Additional Revenue Opportunities

Casinos Experience Unprecedented Success by Utilizing GoZone’s Smart Suite of Innovative Guest Analytics Solutions

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. & LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–GoZone WiFi, the leader in monetizing and managing guest WiFi, today announced at the Casino Marketing and Technology Show 2022 in Las Vegas that the company is working with casinos across the country to help drive revenue and improve player engagement using GoZone’s Smart WiFi™ Suite of guest analytics solutions. Primary use cases include helping to understand players’ behavior patterns to increase their engagement and loyalty by converting non-players club members into players club members, as well as identifying slow vs. high traffic gaming areas around the clock. This provides casinos with specific data to identify the most profitable slot and gaming areas on the casino floor.

Improve House Odds with Insights from Guest Analytics

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“We are thrilled to help our casino customers create long-standing player loyalty through more personal engagement by providing insights into what their players love, how they navigate throughout the property, and even how those traffic patterns fluctuate over time,” said Todd Myers, Founder and CEO, GoZone WiFi. “Our casino customers are experiencing newfound success because they can truly understand their players’ behaviors and habits, and how to best utilize that information to create additional revenue opportunities. We look forward to continuing to innovate and provide the most sophisticated guest analytics solutions to our gaming industry customers.”

Overview of GoZone’s SmartSuite of Guest Analytics and Engagement Solutions for Casinos:

Improve the Gaming Experience: Provide instant access to “while you are here” resources like floor layout, rewards programs and food/beverage amenities.
Foster Relationships: Utilize and apply player data while they are onsite to improve player engagement and loyalty.
Drive Rewards/Loyalty Programs: Encourage participation in rewards and players club memberships by offering VIP WiFi access and promote other benefits over guest WiFi and via campaigns.
Collect Unique Data Points: Survey players to gain new understanding, and then customize the guest experience based on their feedback.
Extend Existing Digital Marketing Investments: Add highly impactful on-premise player engagement at larger properties or introduce those tools into smaller ones who are more challenged to justify the investment.
Monitor Traffic Patterns: Collect insights on dwell times, traffic flow and density and send real-time triggered alerts to operations or real-time campaigns to guests based on their presence.
Collect Payments and Offer Vouchers: Provide VIPs with unique access codes or charge for premium WiFi access, leveraging multiple payment integrations.

GoZone is also offering a free webinar to gaming establishments interested in learning more:

Webinar – “Improve House Odds with Insights from Guest Analytics”
August 17, 2022 3pm EST

To register for the webinar, go to: GoZoneWiFi.com/jackpot

About GoZone:

GoZone WiFi is a SaaS company and leader in monetizing and managing Guest WiFi. The company offers business analytics, venue intelligence and guest engagement by 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. Learn more at GoZoneWiFi.com.

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August 3, 2022

New Wi-Fi sensing solution keeps gentle ‘watchful eye’ on seniors – with Cognitive Systems

July 24, 2022 | Wi-Fi NOW TV | by Claus Hetting, Wi-Fi NOW CEO & Chairman

The world of Wi-Fi sensing is evolving fast – and leading sensing technology vendor Cognitive Systems is leading the charge when it comes to new use cases. Cognitive’s ‘Caregiver Aware’ solutions lets caregivers – for example children or others – keep a gentle ‘watchful eye’ on seniors in their homes by analysing disturbances in Wi-Fi signals around the house.

Watch the full interview above – and don’t forget: Meet Taj Manku and Cognitive Systems at the Wi-Fi World Congress in Stockholm this September 26-28! Click here for more information and registration.

/Claus.

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July 20, 2022

[Blog]

Big tech companies are making big moves to get into the broadband space – and Communications Service Providers (CSPs) have a right to be worried

Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched more than 1,000 satellites into orbit to test its internet service across the globe. And Amazon announced its plans to launch more than 3,200 satellites for its own service, Kuiper Systems.

But even with these corporations encroaching on their space, CSPs shouldn’t be ready to resign their market share just yet. With the right tools and strategies, they can better position themselves for longevity and secure a future-proofed spot as the comprehensive, go-to provider for their target customers. Additionally, President Biden recently signed a new executive order to increase regulation for big tech companies, which could open up competition in the space. So, here’s what CSPs need to know about the battle with big tech—and how to survive it.

CSPs still have the upper hand

Despite big tech’s big plans, CSPs still have a major advantage: They got here first. When people made that initial decision to bring connected devices and experiences into their homes, who did they turn to for help? CSPs. As a result, they’ve been using internet routers, cable boxes, and phone systems longer than they’ve been streaming Amazon shows and driving Teslas.

Senior women using smart home app in her kitchen

That means CSPs have an important opportunity to build on those relationships and offer even more value to their customers. And that’s why we think CSPs are actually in a great position—not only to keep their market share but also to gain more share in the digital space, which is currently going to big tech through their video and streaming platforms. They just need to know how to do it.

What CSPs can do to reclaim—and expand—their market

CSPs can use these key strategies to get ahead of big tech and maintain their positions as leaders in the broadband space.

woman controlling the lights of her smart home with a tablet

Build a new bundle with additional services

CSPs already provide a broadband connection, but that’s no longer enough when they’re competing with big tech. They now need to offer additional services, such as:

As more people are working and learning from home, they need WiFi that works consistently— in every room and on any device. Beyond that, however, CSPs can offer WiFi that adapts to customer usage patterns and predicts where and when they’ll need coverage, so they’re never left buffering in a meeting or a class.

Essentially, CSPs need to build a new bundle—one that goes beyond just delivering internet, phone, and cable packages. With these new digital services, CSPs will be better positioned to compete with big tech and differentiate their offerings—and, of course, increase revenue. Also, remember that CSPs are uniquely positioned to deliver a new services bundle because they’re already in the home. Sure, Amazon is in the home, too, but only as a virtual assistant or a streaming platform. The CSP is still the customer’s gateway to a broadband connection and, thus, a more accessible portal to these new services.

Use a cloud-based system

While offering new smart services might sound overwhelming, CSPs don’t have to launch them all at once. Instead, they can make incremental changes by moving to a cloud-based system.

With this setup, CSPs can easily update customers’ firmware at scale, quickly launch new services, and gather real-time data about each user’s preferences and behaviors. From there, they can make better-informed decisions about what customers need and how to provide it.

Think about it. If you’re eager to launch a cyber-security service, for example, you don’t have to create an entirely new line of business or even deliver new hardware to your interested customers. You can use your cloud-based platform to gradually launch updates across your networks—making small changes to the systems you’ve already worked hard to put in place. So, where do you start? That’s where Plume comes in. Just like big tech companies, we grew up in the cloud. And we have the resources CSPs need to deliver more value to their customers at speed and scale. With the tools we have now—and the ones yet to come—we’re confident that CSPs will be well prepared to succeed in the battle with big tech. They just have to start now. You know, before any new satellites are launched.

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