By Telecom Lead Team: Cisco announced the launch of
carrier-grade Wi-Fi infrastructure to deliver Next-Generation Hotspots (NGH).
The company is also working with global service
providers, including AT&T, BT, PCCW mobile, Portugal Telecom, Shaw
Communications, Smart and True, to offer mobile services with a new generation
of intelligent small cell solutions utilizing licensed and unlicensed radio
technology.
Cisco, which is embedding Wireless Broadband Alliance
(WBA)-approved NGH technology within its service provider Wi-Fi portfolio,
recently became the first to deploy NGH technology to enable cellular-like
roaming for Wi-Fi networks.
The WBA’s NGH initiative is based on the Hotspot 2.0
specification established by the Wi-Fi Alliance and is designed to provide
mobile users with a seamless Wi-Fi experience. Cisco has deployed over 12
million access points, the majority of which can now be upgraded to support
NGH, giving the company the most experience delivering the widest range of
Wi-Fi solutions, including in-flight Wi-Fi, retail hotspots, stadium and large
venue coverage, and extensive data offload deployments.
Cisco’s new Small Cell Gateway, based on the Cisco ASR
5000 Series Mobile Multimedia Core Router, will enable operators to manage
subscriber and service information while integrating 2G/3G/4G LTE and licensed
femtocell networks with unlicensed Wi-Fi networks, to deliver seamless
experiences across multiple heterogeneous access networks.
“Existing mobile network infrastructures simply
cannot sustain the growth we’re seeing on their own. Tomorrow’s mobile Internet
must span multiple networks and deliver seamless and highly secure mobile
experiences. This requires an architectural approach powered by a
cloud-intelligent network of networks. Cisco and our service provider partners
see tremendous opportunity as we together build out these networks and empower
the mobile Internet generation,” said John Chambers, Cisco chairman
and CEO.
Cisco’s technology innovations, deployments and solutions
in small cells are expected to help operators address capacity constraints from
spectrum limitations; scale coverage effectively; deliver seamless experiences
across heterogeneous access networks; save on capital and operational costs,
and facilitate the continuing explosion in mobile traffic, devices and new
services.
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