TWC has launched the first large-scale implementation of Hotspot 2.0, which will make public Wi-Fi networks behave like cellular networks. You log into the network once and you’ll be instantly connected wherever you go.
Two years after being promised seamless connections to public Wi-Fi networks, my iPhone made its first Hotspot 2.0 handshake. It’s a long time coming, but carriers and wireless ISPs are finally starting to deploy the technology.
Sweden’s Anyfi wants to turn any Wi-Fi access point into a virtual extension of mobile networks. By breaking the bond between physical radio and the Wi-Fi network, the startup will make it easier for carriers to build expansive hybrid Wi-Fi grids to offload their data traffic.
While there is a groundswell of enthusiasm for Wi-Fi as a mobile data alternative to cellular, Ericsson CEO Hans Vestberg says there is a limit to what Wi-Fi can accomplish. Wi-Fi will have a role, but it will be one connection option among many.
