Hotspot 2.0, Virtualization Key to New Revenue for WiFi Carriers, Shows IHS Infonetics Survey

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwired - May 27, 2015) - IHS (NYSE: IHS) conducted in-depth surveys with service providers across the globe that operate carrier WiFi networks or will do so soon and found that respondents expect to significantly increase their access point deployments by the end of 2016.

The 2015 IHS Infonetics Carrier WiFi Strategies and Vendor Leadership: Global Service Provider Survey also shows that a quarter of the respondents expect that by 2016, 26 percent of their access points will be Hotspot 2.0-compliant to enable seamless roaming among WiFi networks and between WiFi and cellular networks.

"Revenue generation has become a key driver of carrier WiFi deployments. Not only does Hotspot 2.0 support integration of WiFi with mobile and fixed networks, but it supports the creation of new revenue models for WiFi services," said Richard Webb, research director for mobile backhaul and small cells at IHS.

"While not all of the carriers we interviewed currently have firm plans to deploy network functions virtualization (NFV) in their carrier WiFi networks, the drivers for doing so relate to revenue, with capex and opex efficiency, greater network flexibility and support for rapid service changes topping the list," added Webb.

IHS INFONETICS CARRIER WIFI SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS

Survey respondents' top drivers for deploying carrier WiFi are preventing churn, bundling service with mobile broadband, improving coverage and generating new WiFi access revenue.

Carriers surveyed are adopting a growing variety of monetization models, with tiered hotspots and WiFi roaming growing the fastest through 2016.

For the third straight year, Ruckus Wireless and Cisco lead respondent perception of top carrier WiFi vendors.

CARRIER WIFI SURVEY SYNOPSIS
For the 38-page 2015 IHS Infonetics carrier WiFi strategies survey, IHS interviewed 23 incumbent, competitive, mobile and cable operators in Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America that have deployed WiFi in the public domain or will do so by the end of 2016. The study explores the drivers, strategies, models and technology choices that are shaping service provider WiFi deployments. Vendors rated by operators in the survey include Alcatel-Lucent, Aruba, Cisco, Ericsson, HP, Huawei, Motorola, Nokia Networks, Ruckus Wireless, ZTE and others. To purchase the report, please visit: www.infonetics.com/contact.asp.