Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) released a joint report with Informa Global Developments in Public Wi-Fi at their 20th Roundtable and Conference in Singapore. Download the full report here: http://www.wballiance.com/component/files/dltrack.html?files=3b01001fba73a5422ad8e666052437b791a63974 The research shows that almost half (47%) of mobile operators now think Wi-Fi is either very important or essential to their customers’ experience. The research also found that operators are planning a massive increase in Wi-Fi hotspot deployments – hotspots are set to rocket with a 350% increase by 2015.

1. Download full report
Global Developments in Public Wi-Fi
WBA Industry Report, 2011 – Key Findings
1 Global mobile data traffic 2 Global number of public hotspots
18 6
16
5
Terabytes per annum (mil.)
14 Africa/Middle East
Europe
Public hotspots (mil.)
12 Asia Pacific 4
Latin America
10
North America 3
8
6 2
4
1
2
0 0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Source: Informa Telecoms & Media Source: Informa Telecoms & Media
3 Devices used in Wi-Fi hotspots
Other Wi-Fi-enabled devices 6%
fact Benefits of Wi-Fi
In the hotspots
Asia-Pacific and
Tablets 10% • The greater emphasis on
North America
regions,smartphones
quick-to-consume “snackable”
now outnumber content on the go plays to
laptops as devices Wi-Fi's strengths.
used in public
• Mobile operators see Wi-Fi as a
Wi-Fi hotspots
Smartphones 36%* complementary access network
able to intelligently offload
Laptops 48%
much of the rapidly growing
volumes of data traffic.
• For fixed-line operators, Wi-Fi
4 Next generation hotspots offers a means to bundle
wireless access for customers
The WBA's next generation hotspot initiative is when away from base.
currently being trialed worldwide. The program
aims to eliminate many of the barriers to take-up
i
with a next generation Wi-Fi offering that allows
users to seamlessly roam between cellular and The WBA’s operator membership
includes seven of the top ten mobile
Wi-Fi networks using their mobile handset’s
operator groups, serves over 390 million
SIM card as authentication. customers and has rolled out more than
290,000 hotspots worldwide.
The aim of the Wireless Broadband Alliance is to secure an
outstanding user experience through the global deployment
of next generation Wi-Fi.
www.wballiance.com