Momentum Builds for Wi-Fi Passpoint, New Features Extend Functionality

The Wi-Fi Alliance's Certified Passpoint program is quickly gaining momentum and is poised to become a key enabling technology for connecting mobile devices to public networks.  Passpoint enables seamless connection and WPA2 security for mobile devices in Wi-Fi hotspots.

At a press event in San Francisco, Wi-Fi Alliance officials said hundreds of models of smartphones, tablets, and operator-grade access points have been certified for Passpoint, which was launched in 2012 and is based on Wi-Fi Alliance’s Hotspot 2.0 Technical Specification.

Fixed and mobile operators, including Boingo, Orange, SK Telecom, Time Warner Cable, and Telkom Indonesia have deployed Passpoint networks, and more than 20 operators are now participating in Wi-Fi roaming trials based on Passpoint.

New features in Passpoint make it more versatile and scalable:

• Online sign-up and immediate account provisioning: Passpoint now enables a streamlined process to establish a new user account at the point of access. For service providers, this reduces barriers to account creation and usage. For users, this capability takes the complexity out of getting connected and enables in-pocket connection across a service provider’s network of hotspots.

• Secure registration: The process of establishing a new account or connecting a second device takes place securely. Devices are provisioned with the appropriate credentials and configuration for network access. Users can be confident they are connecting to their chosen provider’s valid network, and their credentials are exchanged securely.

• Operator policy: Passpoint now includes the capability for service providers to distribute their specific subscriber policies, such as which networks to join and in what order of preference. This policy support enables providers to deliver the best user experience on Wi-Fi, while still easily maintaining the business requirements of Wi-Fi roaming agreements.

The Passpoint certification program test suite includes support from Aruba Networks, Broadcom, Cisco, Ericsson, Intel, Marvell, MediaTek, Qualcomm Atheros, and Ruckus Wireless. DigiCert and NetworkFX are authorized certificate authorities for the program.

“Enthusiasm for Passpoint from both mobile and fixed operators continues to mount, and the strategic value of Passpoint extends into new segments as well,” said Edgar Figueroa, CEO of Wi-Fi Alliance. “What makes the new features exciting is that they empower businesses to realize the powerful commercial impact that Wi-Fi can offer by giving them the ability to engage with customers on a new platform in a secure and streamlined fashion.”

“Passpoint already delivers the best user experience available in public Wi-Fi access, and the new feature enhancements provide a fundamental step forward that enables carriers to identify and provision users on the fly,” said Dr. Derek Petersen, CTO for Boingo Wireless. “We’ve
made Passpoint a standard requirement for every new network we deploy. Carriers, handset manufacturers, and network OEMs should run — not walk — to embrace and deploy Passpoint capabilities as soon as possible to maximize accessibility and dramatically improve the user experience."

http://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/wi-fi-certified-passpoint