Connecting to a Wi-Fi hotspot to be simplified, states report

Reports now confirm that very soon connecting one’s cellphone to a Wi-Fi hotspot will cease to be a tedious task, defined by having to log-in, thereby delaying Internet connectivity for an average user. Now, an ambitious initiative proposed by two industry groups, namely mobile industry lobby the GSM Association, the representative for all mobile carriers, across the globe and the Wireless Broadband Alliance will look at reducing the burden on the existing operator networks, by allowing and easing the cellphones’ use of operator’s Wi-Fi hotspots, thereby giving consumers quicker Internet connectivity speeds, during their regular schedules, reports CNET. 

To get simplified

The report further adds that with a simplified process, such as the one mentioned above, users will be able to connect their mobile devices, be it a smartphone or a tablet to a Wi-Fi hotspot with ease, by just using their SIM card for authentication. Using a SIM card has its own benefit, since it helps an operator to identify the user in a more secure environment. This mode uses GSMA and WBA system, which reportedly will be based onthe organizations’ Passpoint certification and Next Generation Hotspot technologies. 

More from News & Analysis

What is the US HIRE Bill and why is India’s $250-billion IT sector worried? Is the internet dead? What's this theory that OpenAI's Sam Altman says might be true?

Understandably, the widespread usage of this technology will take a while to come into being, roughly 2-3 years. However, it will begin to trickle in - by the way of a few carriers would start using it within the next 12 months. The report further adds that other, more advanced operators can upgrade their Wi-Fi networks with a simple software upgrade, as opposed to those who will be required to change hotspots or servers to make it conducive for a cellphone to use their networks. 

Quoting Dan Warren, Technology Director at the GSMA, the report adds that, “The proliferation of smartphones and tablets around the world, as well as consumers’ huge appetite for data means innovative solutions need to be explored to make using the Internet as convenient and as accessible as possible.Through combining the proven capabilities of Mobile Broadband and Wi-Fi technologies, users will have the freedom to move between networks with ease.”