Boingo Calls for Convergence at Mobile World Congress 2017
February 23 2017 - 9:00AM
Pioneer in Wireless Connectivity Outlines Vision
for Networks of the Future; Will Present at the MulteFire
Alliance’s Mobile World Congress Event; and Teams Up with
Mastercard to Offer Wi-Fi as a Valuable Cardholder Perk
Boingo Wireless (NASDAQ:WIFI), the leading DAS and Wi-Fi provider
that serves consumers, carriers and advertisers worldwide, has
released a convergence manifesto in advance of Mobile World
Congress 2017. Authored by Boingo Chief Technology Officer Dr.
Derek Peterson, the manifesto calls for industry collaboration and
the coexistence of licensed and unlicensed spectrum to create a
more seamlessly connected society. The “Call for Convergence: A
Manifesto” can be viewed below and on the Boingo Hotspot Blog.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/226be862-f33e-4df9-b292-594ff92e65fb.
- A Call for Convergence: A ManifestoA
seamlessly connected society. New environments that drive social
and economic development. Smart cities, smart homes, smart bodies.
A vast world of possibilities yet to be imagined. This
is our vision.Since 2001, Boingo has been a pioneer in
wireless connectivity, driving innovation in both licensed and
unlicensed spectrum. Today, as we survey the ever-evolving wireless
landscape, it is clear that we are at a tipping point. The physical
and digital worlds are coming together at a pace that requires new
thinking, new paths forward, and a new way of working together.We
have the opportunity to leap into the next decade of innovation.
But it will require all of us, as a wireless industry, to work in
concert. And it will begin with a deep commitment to convergence at
every level.We submit the following:Convergence will propel
our connected lifestyles.Mobile is no longer a device,
it’s a lifestyle. Our phones, tablets, cars, refrigerators – even
our pets are connected 24/7. Mobile data consumption is
skyrocketing—and forecasters predict it will grow sevenfold by
2021. Our current licensed infrastructure can’t support the coming
tsunami of data, so we must embrace new converged solutions that
can survive the extraordinary pressures coming our way. The
lifeboat has two paddles: one labeled “licensed” and the other
labeled “unlicensed.” We’ll need both to survive the
storm.Convergence makes the connected world of tomorrow
possible.Powering a new generation of connections requires
access to more airwaves. This is why the upcoming 5G capacity will
be based on the unified aggregation of multiple bands. The industry
has largely accepted that this will include the convergence of
licensed and unlicensed spectrum, as 5G is not economically
practical without coexistence.Merging licensed and unlicensed
networks gives us more throughput, reduced latency, better coverage
and lower costs. Convergence opens a larger pool of airwaves,
creating more lanes and less RF congestion. This is a win-win as it
allows us to answer the demand for more mobile data, more wireless
connectivity and new horizons. The best part? Users will not know
if their connectivity is coming from licensed or unlicensed bands
as networks will be blended through a centralized
controller.Successful convergence calls for unlicensed
spectrum.Data-heavy innovations like M2M communication,
autonomous vehicles, virtual reality, and instant streaming
demonstrate both the potential and the challenge to our networks.
To solve the data onslaught, industry players like the MulteFire
Alliance and LTE-U Forum are working on new network trials and
deployments where unlicensed technologies are front and
center.Wi-Fi in particular is crucial for enabling next generation
networks the ability to handle 5G requirements that include one
gigabyte of speed, one millisecond of latency and extraordinary
user demand. But it doesn’t stop there. The unlicensed wireless
portfolio is full of frequencies we can take advantage of for a
more seamless connected experience. Short range, medium range and
long range unlicensed technologies such as WiGig, Wi-Fi HaLow and
LoRa have shown encouraging momentum for facilitating broad
interoperability and roaming capabilities—key attributes for
deployments like IoT and smart homes. Unlicensed means more power,
more signals, more range and more connected opportunities. Its
already made significant impact and will continue to push us
forward.There’s no “I” in convergence. Mobile
network operators, carriers, OEMs, device manufacturers, government
entities, cable operators—we’re all in this together. The new
wireless frontier is at our fingertips and together we are at the
cornerstone of influencing tomorrow’s converged network. We must
depend on each other; challenge each other; and leverage our
strengths.We stand for championing convergence and accomplishing
incredible things.Together we’re better. Let’s start now.
“This manifesto is our vision for making the connected world of
tomorrow possible and puts forward a call to action that asks for
industry collaboration to design networks for the future,” said Dr.
Peterson. “Unlicensed pushes the boundaries of the wireless
experience and when working in unison with licensed, can support a
richer and more flexible set of networks that open up a larger pool
of airwave capacity. Boingo stands for smart networked connectivity
and we look forward to the aggregation of bands on all sides of the
spectrum.”
At Mobile World Congress 2017, Boingo will be discussing the
power of convergence and presenting at the MulteFire Alliance’s
Business Opportunities Event on Tuesday, February 28 at 2 p.m. CET.
Dr. Peterson will participate in the event’s cable operators and
service providers panel alongside representatives from Qualcomm and
more. Boingo was the first operator to join the MulteFire Alliance,
which is building a global ecosystem in support of the application
of LTE and next generation cellular technology in configurations
that use unlicensed or shared radio spectrum.
Boingo has also announced a new partnership for its “Comes with
Boingo” product, which bundles unlimited Boingo Wi-Fi with loyalty
and rewards programs. Mastercard announced the adoption of the
“Comes with Boingo” offering to provide Mastercard cardholders
unlimited access to more than one million premium Boingo Wi-Fi
hotspots around the world. The service is now available to select
cardholders at no additional cost, and will roll out to additional
issuers and cardholders soon. These cardholders have the potential
to save hundreds of dollars each year on roaming charges and
subscriptions when accessing Boingo Wi-Fi hotspot locations in
airports, hotels, restaurants and cafes, inflight and more.
“Wi-Fi is the most desired amenity for people on the go, making
our ‘Comes with Boingo’ offering an attractive loyalty program
benefit that makes customers feel valued,” said Dawn Callahan,
chief marketing officer at Boingo. “Through this partnership,
Mastercard is unlocking premium connectivity for cardholders
worldwide, catering to their voracious appetite for streaming and
sharing.”
For more information on Boingo, visit boingo.com.
About Boingo WirelessBoingo Wireless, Inc.
(NASDAQ:WIFI) helps the world stay connected. Our vast footprint of
small cell networks cover more than a million DAS and Wi-Fi
locations and reaches more than 1 billion consumers annually – in
places as varied as airports, stadiums, universities, and military
bases. For more information about the Boingo story, visit
www.boingo.com.
Boingo, Boingo Wireless, the Boingo Wireless Logo and Don't Just
Go. Boingo. are registered trademarks of Boingo Wireless, Inc.
Boingo Wireless PR Contact
Melody Walker
Senior Manager, Public Relations
mwalker@boingo.com
424-256-7036
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