Users switch between cellular and Wi-Fi networks regularly. The process is, however, not always as seamless as it could be, sometimes requiring several steps. Hotspot 2.0 is starting to change all that – creating seamless Wi-Fi roaming and putting control into the hands of the operator and hence improving overall customer experience. The need for seamless Wi-Fi roaming has to some degree risen out of the rapid rise in the number of mobile subscriptions and explosive growth in demand for mobile broadband. As per the latest Ericsson Mobility Report, global mobile penetration reached 89 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2012 and mobile subscriptions now total around 6.3 billion. 140 million net additions were made in the fourth quarter of 2012, up about 2.2 per cent from the previous quarter with 11 million accounted from India. The mobile subscriptions are expected to reach 9.3 billion by the end of 2018. Mobile data traffic is expected to grow with a CAGR of around 50 per cent (2012-2018), driven mainly by video. This entails growth of around 12 times by the end of 2018.

To provide this massive number of users with good service, Hotspot 2.0 will build on the roaming principles that have successfully supported global growth in the mobile industry.

Network-prioritization decisions, such as whether to use cellular or Wi-Fi networks and subsequently which Wi-Fi network results in the best user experience cellular are decisions which should be made by the network. Users shall be able to enjoy a seamless high quality roaming experience and yet be free to manually switch to a residential or enterprise Wi-Fi network when they want.

Shortly after the close of the 2012 Mobile World Congress, the GSMA announced a plan to collaborate with the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) to simplify Wi-Fi-hotspot access for smartphones and tablets. Intended to provide subscribers with seamless cellular-to-Wi-Fi roaming, this joint GSMA/WBA initiative is based on the WBA Next Generation Hotspot (NGH) program and the Wi-Fi Alliance Passpoint certification – known in the industry as Hotspot 2.0. To provide the anticipated 9.3 billion users with good service, Hotspot 2.0 will build on the roaming principles that have successfully supported global growth in the mobile industry.

The Hotspot 2.0 standard uses operator-provided information stored on a subscriber’s SIM to automate the search for available networks and the associated login procedure – removing the need for cumbersome manual steps, and improving user experience. However, the decision to switch is still determined by the device. To implement Wi-Fi that is truly carrier-grade, control needs to be handed back to the network operator.

As an integral part of the complete mobile-broadband solution, Wi-Fi is a key element of heterogeneous networks. Just like any other radio-access technology (RAT), Wi-Fi needs to be connected to the core network. Viewed in this way, it can be used to deliver the full suite of services available on the cellular data network, becoming more than just an offloading alternative for capacity-challenged networks.

Wi-Fi networks are consistently high performing owing to their inherent small-cell architecture and their use of widely available unlicensed spectrum. Thus, adding Wi-Fi to the set of accessible radios can help to optimize user experience. Enabling industry standards and solutions that push customer experience to enable leading-edge services are important aspects of the vision for fully integrated Wi-Fi and cellular networks.

The steps required by a user to connect to Wi-Fi can include searching for a network, enabling a connection to that network and entering account credentials by launching a web browser. Some mobile-device operating systems, such as iOS, have already automated parts of the switching process using a captive portal method – WISPr or UAM – and some third-party applications called connection managers embed this capability. However, these solutions are only available for certain devices, and are offered by a limited range of carriers; they are far from widespread.

The aim of Hotspot 2.0 is to change this – supporting widespread automatic switching to Wi-Fi. As an industry-wide solution, Hotspot 2.0 will drive network interoperability and standardised network association, authentication, security, sign-up and policy control for mobile devices in a way that is completely transparent to the user.

To ensure the best user experience, subscribers should be connected to the most appropriate network given the time of day, their current location and account preferences. To prioritize the list of networks correctly for a given user, the ability to apply operator policies is essential. Operators need to be able to control whether a device uses cellular or Wi-Fi, and in the case of Wi-Fi, which network would ensure the best user experience. Users still have control over when they connect to a residential or enterprise network by manually selecting the local Wi-Fi network. Operator policy has been included for some time in the 3GPP interworking wireless local area network (I-WLAN) specification.

For most operators, Wi-Fi has become an integral part of their mobile-broadband strategy. Ericsson’s concept for heterogeneous networks incorporates Wi-Fi, fully integrating it into mobile-access and core networks. The evolution of Wi-Fi technology – through Hotspot 2.0, application of operator policy, intelligent RAT selection and GTP session mobility – will bring about a world where people no longer know or care whether they are connected using a cellular or Wi-Fi data network, and operators will be able to control the choice of connectivity to optimize the user experience. Ericsson has a leading role in standardization efforts to ensure that the key elements of Wi-Fi are implemented in 3GPP.