Operators Placing Big Bets On Carrier-Grade Wi-Fi: Study

Cable operators and mobile network operators will place a big bet on “carrier-grade” Wi-Fi networks in the coming years as “best-effort” Wi-Fi networks become less and less profitable, Real Wireless and rethink Technology Research found in a new study commissioned by Amdocs.

Among operators, carrier-grade Wi-Fi hotspots will grow from 14% today to 72% of overall Wi-Fi hotspots by 2018, the study predicted, noting that the trend will be in response to the need for improved capacity and quality for services such as video streaming (including authenticated TV Everywhere services), health monitoring, online gaming, IP voice applications, as well as a broader desire to carve out new revenue streams from their expanding wireless broadband networks.