Ruckus Wireless hails new era of public Wi-Fi connectivity

Advances in the way Wi-Fi is delivered will soon transform the way people use their mobile devices while out and about, Ruckus Wireless has claimed.

Speaking to IT Pro, Rob Mustarde, VP of product management at Ruckus Wireless, said Hotspot 2.0 would deliver an experience akin to using cellular networks now.

Hotspot 2.0 brings multiple Wi-Fi hotspots and providers together to build an interconnected network of public access Wi-Fi.

"Currently, if you are out and about, connecting to Wi-Fi is arduous. Typically you have to get your device out, see what network is available and if you can connect to it. If it is somewhere you have not been to before, you may have to register and you may even have to get out your credit card and pay," said Mustarde.

"The net result, in many cases, is people who would prefer to access Wi-Fi, which is the majority of people, simply do not because of that problem of having to log on and do everything manually," he added.

Hotspot 2.0, Mustarde claims, will bring together multiple Wi-Fi providers, who could be anyone with a Wi-Fi infrastructure, and provide a more seamless' service.

"While the underlying protocols are different to cellular networks, the user experience will be the same. The technology allows for greater automation, so devices will be able to connect automatically, without users having to select networks or log in," he said.

Mustarde added that as Hotspot 2.0 is rolled out over the course of the second half of this year, it will deliver a ten-fold increase in W-iFi usage in public places where the technology is available.