Austin, TX and Washington, D.C. – November 27, 2019 – Wi-Fi Alliance® congratulates Julius Knapp, Chief of the Office of Engineering and Technology, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), on the announcement of his retirement. Julie’s distinguished career at the FCC includes many accomplishments, not the least of which is his contribution towards the regulatory framework that has enabled Wi-Fi®. We wish Julie much joy and happiness in the next chapter of his life.

About Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi®. Members of our collaboration forum come together from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with the shared vision to connect everyone and everything, everywhere, while providing the best possible user experience. Since 2000, Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 50,000 Wi-Fi certifications. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ seal of approval designates products with proven interoperability, backward compatibility, and the highest industry-standard security protections in place. Today, Wi-Fi carries more than half of the internet’s traffic in an ever-expanding variety of applications. Wi-Fi Alliance continues to drive the adoption and evolution of Wi-Fi, which billions of people rely on every day.

Media contacts: 
Ross Levanto
Highwire PR for Wi-Fi Alliance
wi-fi@highwirepr.com
+1-415-963-4174 ext. 4

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ensures consumer satisfaction with Wi-Fi®

Austin, Texas – November 13, 2019 – Wi-Fi Alliance® surpassed more than 50,000 Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ products that deliver the most secure and interoperable Wi-Fi®. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED from Wi-Fi Alliance distinguishes Wi-Fi products across brands and product categories that work well together and provide a consistent and reliable Wi-Fi experience. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED is an internationally recognized seal of approval designating products including routers, televisions, smartphones, wearables, and smart appliances that deliver the greatest consumer satisfaction. A new animation highlights the value of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED in home, healthcare, automotive, and enterprise environments for Wi-Fi products today and in the future.

Recent polling by Wakefield Research indicates more than half of respondents have more than five devices connected to their home network, with an average of four different brands connected at once. These same Wi-Fi users often move the access point location, upgrade to the latest technology, or reboot the network access point in attempts to improve the way their diverse devices work together. Wi-Fi Alliance emphasizes that while some of these methods may provide success, buying Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products is the most reliable way to give users confidence that their devices will interoperate and provide the best experience. After understanding the benefits of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED:

• More than 80% of respondents are likely to look for Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6™ over non-certified products when purchasing the latest generation of Wi-Fi.
• More than 60% would even be willing to pay more for the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED seal of approval.

“Wi-Fi Alliance is committed to ensuring Wi-Fi devices and networks provide users the interoperability, security, and reliability they have come to expect,” said Edgar Figueroa, president and CEO of Wi-Fi Alliance. “The benefits from Wi-Fi CERTIFIED devices set these products and networks apart by undergoing rigorous testing to ensure they meet the highest Wi-Fi standards.”

Protecting Wi-Fi users is at the core of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED. As the security landscape evolves, Wi-Fi Alliance regularly updates Wi-Fi CERTIFIED requirements to address wireless security and privacy challenges. Only Wi-Fi CERTIFIED devices provide assurances of using the latest security methods – including the latest generation of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED WPA3™. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED devices distinguish themselves by providing cutting edge security to Wi-Fi users and offering strong protections in a wide range of Wi-Fi environments. 

Wi-Fi Alliance is the member driven organization of more than 850 companies driving global Wi-Fi adoption and delivering Wi-Fi CERTIFIED programs to the industry. Among the companies that completed the most Wi-Fi certifications in 2019 are Huawei Technologies, Lennar Ventures, LG Electronics, Panasonic Corporation, Samsung Electronics, Sony Corporation, and Toyota Motor Corporation. The range of companies with Wi-Fi certifications to address new home construction, automotive, smart home, and consumer electronics demonstrates the wide range of industries that emphasize interoperability as a foundation for delivering the best user experience for Wi-Fi use cases and applications.

About Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi®. Members of our collaboration forum come together from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with the shared vision to connect everyone and everything, everywhere, while providing the best possible user experience. Since 2000, Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 50,000 Wi-Fi certifications. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ seal of approval designates products with proven interoperability, backward compatibility, and the highest industry-standard security protections in place. Today, Wi-Fi carries more than half of the internet’s traffic in an ever-expanding variety of applications. Wi-Fi Alliance continues to drive the adoption and evolution of Wi-Fi, which billions of people rely on every day.

Media contacts: 
Andrea Torres
Highwire PR for Wi-Fi Alliance
wi-fi@highwirepr.com
+1-415-963-4174 ext. 13

Methodological Note: The Wi-Fi Alliance survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 nationally representative adults, ages 18+, between October 9th and October 16th, 2019, using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas have been set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the U.S. adult population, ages 18+.

Wi-Fi 6 certification is here, marks evolution in delivery of Wi-Fi connectivity

Austin, Texas, - September 16, 2019 – The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6™ certification program from Wi-Fi Alliance® is now available and delivers the best user experience with devices based on IEEE 802.11ax. The certification program brings new features and capabilities that enable substantially greater overall Wi-Fi® network performance in challenging environments with many connected devices such as stadiums, airports, and industrial parks. With adoption of the latest Wi-Fi generation increasing, product vendors and service providers can trust Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ will distinguish Wi-Fi 6 products and networks that meet the highest standards for security and interoperability. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 provides significant capacity, performance, and latency improvements to the entire Wi-Fi ecosystem, while ensuring products across vendors to work well together to deliver greater innovation and opportunity.

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 supports a more diverse set of devices and applications, from those requiring peak performance in demanding enterprise environments to those requiring low power and low latency in smart homes or industrial IoT scenarios. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 delivers nearly four times the capacity of Wi-Fi 5, and is an evolutionary advancement for Wi-Fi’s ability to deliver high-performance infrastructure and optimized connectivity to all devices on a network simultaneously – bringing noticeable improvements in densely connected Wi-Fi environments. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 delivers critical connectivity that supports cellular networks, and leverages high speeds, low latency, power efficiency, greater capacity, and enhanced coverage to deliver many advanced 5G services.

“Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 is ushering in a new era of Wi-Fi, building on Wi-Fi’s core characteristics to provide better performance in every environment for users, greater network capacity for service providers to improve coverage for their customers, and new opportunities for advanced applications,” said Edgar Figueroa, president and CEO, Wi-Fi Alliance. “Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 will deliver improvements in connectivity, including in high density locations and IoT environments.”

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 delivers advanced security protocols and requires the latest generation of Wi-Fi security, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED WPA3™. Advanced capabilities available in Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 include:

• Orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA): effectively shares channels to increase network efficiency and lower latency for both uplink and downlink traffic in high demand environments
• Multi-user multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO): allows more downlink data to be transferred at once and enables an access point to transmit data to a larger number of devices concurrently
• 160 MHz channels: increases bandwidth to deliver greater performance with low latency
• Target wake time (TWT): significantly improves battery life in Wi-Fi devices, such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices
• 1024 quadrature amplitude modulation mode (1024-QAM): increases throughput in Wi-Fi devices by encoding more data in the same amount of spectrum
• Transmit beamforming: enables higher data rates at a given range resulting in greater network capacity

“Wi-Fi 6 brings greater speeds and more efficiency to Wi-Fi networks, expanding its role as a critical communication platform,” said Phil Solis, research director at IDC. “Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 drives a higher quality experience for all Wi-Fi’s many use cases, further propelling the Wi-Fi market and ensuring Wi-Fi maintains its strong position as the connectivity landscape evolves.”

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 expands on Wi-Fi’s core strengths including affordable performance, efficient operation, commitment to security, ease of use, self-deployment, and long-term compatibility, while also supporting a more reliable user experience in areas of high user demand. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 leverages Wi-Fi’s global ubiquity to more efficiently connect users in more environments, support growing data requirements, and expand advanced use cases including augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), streaming high-definition content, real-time monitoring, and mission critical applications. As more spectrum is made available for Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 will only continue to drive greater global Wi-Fi innovation and economic contributions.

“Spectrum-based services have already changed the world and unlocked immeasurable economic potential and consumer benefit. As we enter a new chapter of interconnectivity with the transition to next-generation broadband networks, Wi-Fi 6 will play a critical role in improving the businesses and the lives of everyday Americans,” said Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-06), Vice-Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee and Co-Chair of the Congressional Spectrum Caucus. “The capacity and performance of Wi-Fi 6 will enable new IoT and high-density applications that will help us reimagine and build the infrastructure of the future. I look forward to working with the Wi-Fi Alliance in their efforts to deliver the next generation of Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi-connected devices.”

“It’s so exciting to see the initiation of the Wi-Fi 6 certification process, which really serves as the kick-off to making this technology a market reality.  As a user and a regulator, I can’t wait for the vast improvements in speed and capacity that Wi-Fi 6 will bring, especially in dense, multi-device environments, and the innovation and entrepreneurship it will foster,” said Commissioner Michael O’Rielly, Federal Communications Commission. “Thank you to the Wi-Fi community for continuing to amaze us with technological advancements that revolutionize the Internet experience.”

The Samsung Galaxy Note10 and the Ruckus R750 are the world’s first Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 smartphone and access point, respectively. Wi-Fi Alliance expects most leading phones and access points will soon support the latest generation of Wi-Fi. The first products designated Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 which comprise the test bed for certification include:

• Broadcom® BCM4375
• Broadcom® BCM43698
• Broadcom® BCM43684
• Cypress CYW 89650 Auto-Grade Wi-Fi 6 Certified
• Intel® Wi-Fi 6 (Gig+) AX200 (for PCs)
• Intel® Home Wi-Fi Chipset WAV600 Series (for routers and gateways)
• Marvell 88W9064 (4x4) Wi-Fi 6 Dual-Band STA
• Marvell 88W9064 (4x4) + 88W9068 (8x8) Wi-Fi 6 Concurrent Dual-Band AP
• Qualcomm® Networking Pro 1200 Platform
• Qualcomm® FastConnect 6800 Wi-Fi 6 Mobile Connectivity Subsystem
• Ruckus R750 Wi-Fi 6 Access Point

For more information on Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 please visit: https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/wi-fi-certified-6

Industry support for Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6:

“In addition to increased speed and capacity, Wi-Fi 6 will support the growing density of connected devices in the home, delivering lower latency, enhanced battery life, and better overall performance. Wi-Fi 6 helps guarantee that users get the most out of these new functionalities in complex environments where they cohabit with legacy devices will require smart management of the whole ecosystem. AirTies’ Smart Wi-Fi software and cloud-based management software will ensure that service providers maximize their investment in Wi-Fi 6 to meet the evolving needs of their customers. We look forward to supporting Wi-Fi Alliance and its new Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 program.” – Metin Taskin, CTO of AirTies

“Wi-Fi is the primary connectivity method for billions of devices, users and things. We applaud Wi-Fi Alliance’s Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 program as it will provide users with confidence that their devices meet the highest standards for security and interoperability and that they will provide the best possible user experience. As device densities continue to climb, bandwidth needs continue to surge and sophisticated new security threats continue to emerge, it will be increasingly important for users to select devices that are certified to meet the market’s most exacting standards, so they can take advantage of the emerging, innovative, next-generation use cases that Wi-Fi 6 is enabling.” – Chuck Lukaszewski, vice president of wireless standards and strategy for Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company

“ASSIA’s mission is to develop technologies that improve reliability of wired and wireless network connections. ASSIA has built a large portfolio of wireless technologies that utilize Wi-Fi 6 today, and for Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 devices these ASSIA technologies bring significant gains in network performance as well as vendor neutral network management options. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 will help build a massive IoT ecosystem at a fraction of the cost of deploying licensed band equivalent systems. We look forward to being part of evolution during this exciting time!” – Tuncay Cil, Chief Strategy Officer, ASSIA

"With the growing number of connected personal and IoT devices pushing current Wi-Fi to its limits, Wi-Fi 6 ushers in a new era of networking performance, and the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 certification program ensures users get the best home Wi-Fi experience out of this amazing new technology. As a pioneer of the world's first Wi-Fi 6 router and a rapidly expanding ecosystem of Wi-Fi 6 network adapters, motherboards, laptops and mini PCs, we at ASUS believe Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 is the answer for multi-device households and are happy to see the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 certification program from Wi-Fi Alliance is available now." – said Tenglong Deng, General Manager, ASUS Networking and Wireless Devices Business Unit.

"Wi-Fi 6 is a game changer in unlicensed connectivity, offering consumers exactly what they are seeking – the fastest, most responsive and reliable Wi-Fi.” – JR Wilson, Vice President of Tower Strategy and Roaming, AT&T

“Wi-Fi 6 is a game changer for dense and congested environments, helping operators like Boingo facilitate a more seamless connected experience in large venues that include airports and stadiums. Higher data rates, better spectrum usage, and increased network capacity are among the standout features of Wi-Fi 6 and we’re excited to see the technology’s certification program take off.” – Dr. Derek Peterson, chief technology officer, Boingo

“Broadcom is thrilled to have three of our best-in-class devices included in the certification test bed for today’s official launch of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 — the BCM4375, BCM43698, and BCM43684. These Broadcom devices already power 10s of millions of Samsung Galaxy phones and routers around the world. Capable of supporting up to 160 MHz wide channels, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 devices offer consumers lower latency, better battery life and as yet unseen throughputs, all of which are critical for 5G services. As the full 6 GHz band is made available for unlicensed use - with multiple 160 MHz-wide channels — the Wi-Fi 6 consumer experience will be turbocharged for the gigabit home and AR/VR.” – Vijay Nagarajan, Vice President, Wireless Communications & Connectivity Division, Broadcom  

“We are seeing strong demand for our Wi-Fi 6 IP solutions for a wide range of market segments, including IoT, smart home, networking and mobile. We welcome the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 program release as it will enable massive adoption of this latest standard and the inherent benefits it brings. The host of new features and impressive performance and power improvements Wi-Fi 6 offers, greatly improve the overall user experience.” - Ange Aznar, Vice President and General Manager of the Wireless IoT Business Unit at CEVA

"Thanks to the work of Wi-Fi Alliance and the commitment of its members to interoperability, Wi-Fi has changed the world. Wi-Fi 6 represents a significant evolution of Wi-Fi, taking wireless connectivity to new heights and enabling new applications and use cases that will continue to shape the world we live in. As the rollout of Wi-Fi 6 accelerates, the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 program will provide Cisco’s customers assurance that the network and user devices will interoperate as expected; maximizing the benefits for businesses, the economy and users – which is exactly what Wi-Fi has been doing for the last 20 years.” – Matt MacPherson, Wireless CTO, Cisco

"Our world is becoming increasingly hyper-connected, and what gets me really excited about Wi-Fi 6, beyond the huge improvements in capacity and performance is the support for 2.4 GHz band and the power consumption improvements. With Wi-Fi Alliance and the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 certification program, we can ensure peak performance for all devices with next generation WPA3 security, no matter the use case. Whether for a factory, a stadium, or an office building, Cisco Meraki customers can be confident that deploying a Wi-Fi 6 network will deliver a secure, simple and superlative experience.” – Jayanthi Srinivasan, Director of Product Management, Cisco Meraki

“Wi-Fi 6 will help us meet the demands of tomorrow’s connectivity, with increased speed delivered to numerous devices simultaneously. Offering lower latency, better range, higher capacity and improved battery life for devices, Wi-Fi 6 ushers in the next generation of the world’s predominant wireless networking technology. We believe that Wi-Fi 6 will open a vast number of new applications and possibilities for our business.” – Cole Reinwand, Comcast Cable Communications, XFINITY WiFi

“Ruckus has always been at the leading edge of new certified technologies from Wi-Fi Alliance, and we’re proud that our extensive collaboration with Wi-Fi Alliance has contributed to the successful launch of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6. By being one of the first to incorporate Wi-Fi 6 features, the Ruckus R750 access point is both among the first fully Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 products and a high-performance Wi-Fi 6 access point used in the Wi-Fi Alliance test bed for interoperability certification. We look forward to participating with Wi-Fi Alliance in this exciting next phase of Wi-Fi industry growth.” – Morgan Kurk, CTO at CommScope

“Cypress' early Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 leadership underscores our commitment to market enablement with advanced automotive applications including BSS color mapping, support for scheduling, and high performance in congested environments. The high-data rates supported by Wi-Fi 6 will also enable efficient factory automation using over-the-air downloads on parallel manufacturing lines. Consumers will be able to enjoy uniform home-to-car experiences benefiting from robust, secure, and longer-range Wi-Fi 6 connections while maintaining backward-compatible Wi-Fi 5 IoT device connections already installed in their home networks.” – Brian Bedrosian, vice president of marketing, IoT Compute and Wireless Business Unit at Cypress

“Some hype is just noise — but some new technologies really do transform their market. By finally gaining a megaphone, Wi-Fi 6 is one of those technologies. In addition to providing added capacity and coverage to support more connected devices, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 access points have the potential to completely transform enterprises and end-user experiences, something Wi-Fi 6 compliant and Wi-Fi 6 compatible access points can never claim.” – Perry Correll, Director of Product Marketing, Extreme Networks

“Wi-Fi 6 incorporates many new technologies, such as OFDMA technology, which divides the WLAN channel into multiple narrower subchannels, reducing competition, backoff and network latency and improving network efficiency. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 guarantees the experience of these new technologies and continues to enhance the competitiveness and influence of Wi-Fi in the data transmission field." – Joe Yu, Wireless Product director at H3C

“Wi-Fi 6 is a major step forward in the evolution of Wi-Fi. Not only does it bring higher maximum data rates, it also improves robustness in crowded Wi-Fi environments, creating a better user experience with a sustained level of performance for the user. In addition, Wi-Fi 6 brings significant benefits to new low-power markets such as IoT and wearables, enhancing the current Wi-Fi 5 products targeting these markets with improved power consumption, low data rates, and the addition of OFDMA to share spectrum efficiently.” – Richard Edgar, Senior Director of Product Management, Ensigma, Imagination Technologies

“Wi-Fi 6 is the greatest advancement to Wi-Fi in the last decade. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 ensures that products across the industry will live up to the full potential and deliver user experiences promised by Wi-Fi 6. Intel is honored that our leadership solutions for both client PC/IoT and home routers/gateways were selected for the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 test bed.” – Eric McLaughlin, GM, Wireless Solutions Group, Intel Corp.

“Wi-Fi 6 has already taken center stage in serving public hotspots like coffee shops and sports arenas as well as residential customers, where high data rate and efficient access control among users are strongly demanded.” – Jaehyung Koo, Vice President, KT

“Wi-Fi 6 marks a major paradigm shift in the evolution of Wi-Fi technology, pairing unprecedented speeds with low latency, high network utilization, and innovative power saving technologies to enable new mission critical applications, while providing a significantly enhanced user experience even in high density environments. Marvell is proud to play a leading role in enabling Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 to ensure seamless interoperability and drive rapid adoption in the market place.” - Mark Montierth, VP and GM of the Wireless Business at Marvell Semiconductor 

“As a leader in delivering new Wi-Fi connections and experiences to consumers worldwide, NETGEAR is thrilled to see the advancement of the Wi-Fi 6 certification program. With a broad range of Wi-Fi 6 routers via our Nighthawk performance Wi-Fi line, and a mesh Wi-Fi 6 system joining the Orbi Whole Home Wi-Fi family, NETGEAR is committed to improving the way people live through the connections we make.” – David Henry, senior vice president of Connected Home Products for NETGEAR

“Quantenna is committed to providing an exceptional Wi-Fi user experience and is actively involved in the development and standardization process of Wi-Fi 6. With Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6, consumers can easily identify and be assured that the devices they get include advanced capabilities for quality and interoperability. We look forward to certifying our products that enhance next generation Wi-Fi use cases.” – Irvind Ghai, vice president of Marketing, Quantenna Connectivity Solutions Division at ON Semiconductor

"Wi-Fi 6 is a key development that brings end-users a superior roaming experience. It is a milestone for this technology which offers improved connectivity, especially in dense areas of population and means an overall enhanced roaming capacity." – Cedric Gonin, International Carriers, Orange

“At Qualcomm Technologies, we’ve been heavily supporting the global transition to Wi-Fi 6 for several years and are happy to be a part of Wi-Fi Alliance’s Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 program. Qualcomm Technologies has shown its commitment in Wi-Fi 6 on the strength of our dogged pursuit and investment in the full potential of the new standard. We are excited to see the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 program launching, as it’s yet another indicator of the broad industry readiness to further establish a fervent, growing ecosystem of Wi-Fi 6 networks and devices.” – Rahul Patel, senior vice president and general manager, connectivity, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

“Samsung is excited for the official launch of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6. High speed 5G services need Wi-Fi 6 and so do consumers who want to seamlessly share the moments they create on their mobile devices. As a leading innovator in smartphone technology, we made this a reality when we launched the Samsung Galaxy S10 - the world’s first Wi-Fi 6 phone - earlier this year. Today, we are proud to officially announce that the Galaxy Note10 is the world’s first Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 smartphone.” – Inkang Song, VP and Head of Technology Strategy Group of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics

“The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 program ensures that devices based on 802.11ax technology meet industry standards for interoperability and security, thereby delivering superior performance and better coverage to users experiencing Wi-Fi 6. In the meantime, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 includes advanced features, which provide devices with features of peak performance and low latency in smart home or IoT scenarios, ensuring a fast, flexible and connected Wi-Fi ecosystem.” – John Yin, Marketing Manager, TP-Link

“Wi-Fi 6, as the newest generation of Wi-Fi technology, can bring users higher throughput, lower latency, lower power consumption, and also enhance network efficiency.  As an important member of the Wi-Fi Alliance, Xiaomi is committed to supporting Wi-Fi 6 technology in our applications, as well as engaging more deeply in Wi-Fi 6 certification, to bring our global users more and higher quality Wi-Fi 6 products.” Baoqiu Cui, Vice President of Xiaomi Corporation, Chairman of Technical Committee

About Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi®. Members of our collaboration forum come together from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with the shared vision to connect everyone and everything, everywhere, while providing the best possible user experience. Since 2000, Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 50,000 Wi-Fi certifications. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ seal of approval designates products with proven interoperability, backward compatibility, and the highest industry-standard security protections in place. Today, Wi-Fi carries more than half of the internet’s traffic in an ever-expanding variety of applications. Wi-Fi Alliance continues to drive the adoption and evolution of Wi-Fi, which billions of people rely on every day.

Media contacts: 
Andrea Torres
Highwire PR for Wi-Fi Alliance
wi-fi@highwirepr.com
+1-415-963-4174 ext. 13

Austin, TX and Washington, D.C. – July 24, 2019 – Wi-Fi Alliance® welcomes reintroduction of the AIRWAVES Act under the leadership of Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH). This Act recognizes that additional unlicensed spectrum access is urgently needed to meet ever increasing demands for Wi-Fi® connectivity and to support technological innovation, such as Wi-Fi 6.

About Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi®. Members of our collaboration forum come together from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with the shared vision to connect everyone and everything, everywhere, while providing the best possible user experience. Since 2000, Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 45,000 Wi-Fi certifications. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ seal of approval designates products with proven interoperability, backward compatibility, and the highest industry-standard security protections in place. Today, Wi-Fi carries more than half of the internet’s traffic in an ever-expanding variety of applications. Wi-Fi Alliance continues to drive the adoption and evolution of Wi-Fi, which billions of people rely on every day.

Media contacts: 
Ross Levanto
Highwire PR for Wi-Fi Alliance
wi-fi@highwirepr.com
+1-415-963-4174 ext. 4

Standardized approach to Wi-Fi® performance metrics improves quality of service

Austin, Texas – June 25, 2019 – Wi-Fi Alliance® introduces Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Data Elements™, bringing a standardized approach to Wi-Fi network diagnostic data collection that enables service providers better visibility into Wi-Fi® networks to enhance the quality of service delivered to customers. The certification program captures and delivers key data on Wi-Fi network performance that assists service provider diagnostic capabilities, enabling better maintenance of customers’ Wi-Fi networks. Wi-Fi Data Elements™ provides key data to assist in Wi-Fi troubleshooting, bringing faster resolution of network issues to improve customer satisfaction on Wi-Fi networks.

Wi-Fi Data Elements establishes a standardized model for delivering 130 Wi-Fi specific key network performance indicators such as the speed data moves across a wireless network, airtime necessary for devices to perform as expected, and retry rates between a Wi-Fi device and an access point. This consistent approach to data collection feeds directly into service provider’s diagnostic tools, helping them better understand customers’ Wi-Fi network conditions, more rapidly obtain and analyze data, and more efficiently respond to customer issues in dynamic Wi-Fi environments. Wi-Fi Data Elements can be used for:

• Wi-Fi troubleshooting: Provides insight into current and historical network performance, including interference from other sources, coverage and configuration challenges, and client device capabilities, enabling rapid identification of network issues and faster customer resolutions
• Resolving Wi-Fi coverage issues: Determines whether a Wi-Fi network has sufficient signal strength for the given area and helps service providers offer recommendations for additional equipment to address user coverage issues
• Proactive problem solving: Standardizes access to network performance data captured from Wi-Fi devices which can be accessed by Internet service provider (ISP) support systems, triggering alerts when Wi-Fi service is impacted and proceeding with issue resolutions before customers notice an issue

“Wi-Fi networks have gained complexity due to the number and types of connected devices,” said Kevin Robinson, VP of Marketing, Wi-Fi Alliance. “Wi-Fi Data Elements provides greater insight into Wi-Fi network behavior so that service providers more quickly diagnose issues and deliver better customer service, even as Wi-Fi user device types and numbers increase.”

Wi-Fi Data Elements is another powerful tool in the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ portfolio that helps optimize the Wi-Fi network experience. Using this standardized approach to Wi-Fi data collection can help service providers reduce customer support calls regarding Wi-Fi issues, reduce time spent on support calls that do occur, and enable service providers to elevate their service level. Beyond the anticipated adoption of Wi-Fi Data Elements in products deployed by network operators, access to the now standardized set of Wi-Fi data can enable innovation among the broader developer community with data driven, interoperable features and capabilities. Wi-Fi Data Elements is foundational to self-organizing, multiple access point, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED EasyMesh™ networks and developed to seamlessly work in Wi‑Fi EasyMesh™ environments. 

“ASSIA has been defining advanced Wi-Fi data models to remedy the lack of sophisticated and common data collection and control schemes in Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi Alliance has provided a forum to collaborate with other industry pioneers to standardize these new data models. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Data Elements lays the groundwork for a large ecosystem of technology companies to develop new data driven applications using the information available on a Wi-Fi network.” – Tuncay Cil, Chief Strategy Officer, ASSIA

“Wi-Fi Alliance is doing incredibly important work by bringing together various players in an increasingly complex ecosystem. Standards-based technology is critical and we are incredibly proud of the contributions that we’ve made over the past two years, culminating in the new Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Data Elements program. These new standards will result in a significantly improved Wi-Fi experience for consumers.” – Shane Eleniak, SVP of platforms for Calix

“Full visibility into the home network is crucial for effective managed Wi-Fi solutions. Wi-Fi Alliance Wi-Fi Data Elements initiative creates the foundation for providing a complete and detailed picture of residential Wi-Fi to cloud telemetry in a consistent and standardized manner. Together with other non-Wi-Fi data from devices like our home gateways, this information provides a comprehensive cloud view for troubleshooting and application usage analysis." – Ian Wheelock, Engineering Fellow, CommScope (which recently acquired ARRIS)

“Wi-Fi Data Elements delivers a standardized set of data models that encompass key performance indicators for Wi-Fi and enables remote monitoring and troubleshooting. Marvell is pleased to contribute to a program that also provides the necessary foundation for Wi-Fi EasyMesh self-organizing Wi-Fi networks.” – Mark Montierth, VP and GM, Marvell Semiconductor 

For more information on Wi-Fi Data Elements, please see our technology overview or visit https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/wi-fi-data-elements.   

About Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi®. Members of our collaboration forum come together from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with the shared vision to connect everyone and everything, everywhere, while providing the best possible user experience. Since 2000, Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 45,000 Wi-Fi certifications. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ seal of approval designates products with proven interoperability, backward compatibility, and the highest industry-standard security protections in place. Today, Wi-Fi carries more than half of the internet’s traffic in an ever-expanding variety of applications. Wi-Fi Alliance continues to drive the adoption and evolution of Wi-Fi, which billions of people rely on every day.

Media contacts: 
Andrea Torres
Highwire PR for Wi-Fi Alliance
wi-fi@highwirepr.com
+1-415-963-4174 ext. 13

New video showcases Wi-Fi’s global impact through eyes of technology and government visionaries

Austin, Texas – June 20, 2019 – Today, Wi-Fi Alliance® celebrates #WorldWiFiDay, reflecting on two decades of connecting users around the world. Wi-Fi® industry leaders, government officials, and consumers recognize Wi-Fi as one of the greatest technology success stories of its time. In a celebratory video from Wi-Fi Alliance, Wi-Fi industry contributors and leaders reflect on the technology’s origins and impact, and predict Wi-Fi innovations expected over the next decade.

The foundation for Wi-Fi’s success was first laid when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) opened several bands of unlicensed spectrum in 1985, followed by the development of a global, interoperable standard that paved the way for wide-scale Wi-Fi innovation. Wi-Fi found its way into a myriad of products, forever changing the entire connectivity experience. Wi-Fi changed the way users access data, becoming nearly synonymous with the “internet” for the average consumer. Wi-Fi has enabled “bring your own device” (BYOD) work environments, creating truly mobile workforces. Wi-Fi has also empowered operators to address a large share of their users’ wireless data needs. The worldwide success of Wi-Fi exemplifies what is possible when regulators and technologists work together. This ongoing relationship remains critical to accessing additional unlicensed spectrum that will continue to fuel Wi-Fi innovation.

Wi-Fi has made a global impact by bringing affordable connectivity to users almost everywhere they go. Wi-Fi is deployed in stadiums to improve the fan experience, in airports to deliver seamless connectivity to travelers, and on public transportation to ensure always-on connectivity. Wi-Fi has become indispensable for smart cities and public access networks, and has led governments to take initiatives to deliver free Wi-Fi to millions of users, boost availability of public Wi-Fi, bridge the connectivity gap and expand into remote villages and new frontiers. Wi-Fi improves working conditions in challenging environments, aids in disaster recovery, and helps in coordination of safety efforts in public spaces.

“Over the past twenty years, Wi-Fi has transformed the world. Wi-Fi Alliance members have worked diligently to ensure that Wi-Fi brings connectivity to users around the globe with a powerful combination of performance and affordability,” said Edgar Figueroa, president and CEO, Wi-Fi Alliance. “Wi-Fi is one of the most significant success stories in the high-tech era because it delivers a common connectivity experience that works reliably around the world.”

Wi-Fi has a significant and often underestimated economic impact around the world, contributing nearly $2 trillion in global economic value in 2018, with nearly $3.5 trillion expected in 2023. With additional unlicensed spectrum for its use, Wi-Fi’s economic contribution will continue to grow. Wi-Fi users can expect advances in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), real-time gaming, as well as low power Internet of Things applications. Automotive, healthcare, agriculture, and education industries will also benefit from forthcoming Wi-Fi advancements – including next generation
Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6™ – bringing further substantial connectivity and productivity improvements to society.  

The new video celebrates #20yearsofwifi and brings together technology leaders from AirTies, Boingo, Broadcom, Comcast, CommScope, Cypress Semiconductor, IEEE, Intel, Lennar, Marvell Semiconductor and worldwide government visionaries from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), U.S. Congress, European Commission, International Telecommunications Unit (ITU), European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT), National Frequency Agency, and Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC).

Please watch the video here.

About Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi®. Members of our collaboration forum come together from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with the shared vision to connect everyone and everything, everywhere, while providing the best possible user experience. Since 2000, Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 45,000 Wi-Fi certifications. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ seal of approval designates products with proven interoperability, backward compatibility, and the highest industry-standard security protections in place. Today, Wi-Fi carries more than half of the internet’s traffic in an ever-expanding variety of applications. Wi-Fi Alliance continues to drive the adoption and evolution of Wi-Fi, which billions of people rely on every day.

Media contacts: 
Andrea Torres
Highwire PR for Wi-Fi Alliance
wi-fi@highwirepr.com
+1-415-963-4174 ext. 13

Interoperability is foundation of Wi-Fi’s success story

Austin, TX and Washington D.C. – June 4, 2019 – Wi-Fi® is one of the most pervasive technologies around the world, with an installed base of more than 13 billion devices and more than four billion Wi-Fi devices shipping in 2019 alone. This year marks #20yearsofwifi and together with its nearly 800 member companies, Wi-Fi Alliance® is celebrating Wi-Fi as one of the greatest technology success stories of the high-tech era. Wi-Fi’s success story was built on a foundation of interoperability, driven forward by Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ programs. Wi-Fi’s energetic community including engineers, executives, semiconductor and device manufacturers, venue owners, and operators working together in Wi-Fi Alliance have also contributed to key moments in history that have propelled Wi-Fi’s evolution.

Wi-Fi origin
Wi-Fi Alliance was established in 1999 as a global organization to provide multi-vendor interoperability for wireless networking products and to bring a better and more consistent connectivity experience. The term “Wi-Fi” and its familiar yin-yang logo were coined by Wi-Fi Alliance shortly after to establish a consumer-friendly way to distinguish this new and better experience with wireless networking products. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ was established to indicate products that passed interoperability requirements from Wi-Fi Alliance. The Wi-Fi term quickly began solidifying mainstream consumer acceptance and was added to the Merriam Webster dictionary and was widely used in major languages around the world in 2005.

Wi-Fi popularity quickly grew as a result of the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED program. Today, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED is an internationally recognized seal of approval with more than 45,000 certifications. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products have undergone rigorous testing and provide assurances of interoperability. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo now appears on consumer products worldwide, and products bearing the logo deliver interoperability, industry-standard security protections, and easy setup and management.

“Since its founding twenty years ago, Wi-Fi Alliance has been where the Wi-Fi ecosystem comes together to determine where Wi-Fi goes next,” said Edgar Figueroa, president and CEO, Wi-Fi Alliance. “Our collaboration has resulted in the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED portfolio expanding to address new use cases and satisfy demands across a broad range of industries, ultimately making Wi-Fi an essential tool in everyday life. Few technologies have been able to achieve the success and scale of Wi-Fi.”

Wi-Fi Alliance role in pervasive Wi-Fi
Beyond interoperability, Wi-Fi Alliance has contributed to several areas that have enabled Wi-Fi to become a great success story: 

• Evolving security protocols: Wi-Fi Alliance established Wi-Fi Protected Access® as a standards-based, interoperable security framework to provide an unprecedented level of Wi-Fi security required in all Wi-Fi CERTIFIED devices. Wi-Fi Protected Access has expanded to include stronger protections and new practices as the security landscape changes. The continual evolution of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ensures devices remain protected against ongoing security threats.
• Ubiquity in consumer electronics: Wi-Fi CERTIFIED has enabled the industry to connect an ever expanding range of consumer electronics devices, from mobile phones and 4K Ultra HD televisions, to home thermostats and doorbells. Wi-Fi Alliance has been critical in expanding Wi-Fi’s technology portfolio to offer a range of benefits across high performance and low power devices using a standardized, interoperable approach.
• Consumer-friendly naming scheme: Wi-Fi Alliance introduced a new consumer-friendly naming approach that provides users an easy-to-understand designation for Wi-Fi technology. The naming convention helps Wi-Fi users identify their device and network generation using Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5, and Wi-Fi 6.

Please help us celebrate #20yearsofwifi by visiting www.20yearsofwifi.com.

About Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi®. Members of our collaboration forum come together from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with the shared vision to connect everyone and everything, everywhere, while providing the best possible user experience. Since 2000, Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 45,000 Wi-Fi certifications. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ seal of approval designates products with proven interoperability, backward compatibility, and the highest industry-standard security protections in place. Today, Wi-Fi carries more than half of the internet’s traffic in an ever-expanding variety of applications. Wi-Fi Alliance continues to drive the adoption and evolution of Wi-Fi, which billions of people rely on every day.

Media contacts: 
Andrea Torres
Highwire PR for Wi-Fi Alliance
wi-fi@highwirepr.com
+1-415-963-4174 ext. 13

Austin, TX – May 29, 2019 – Wi-Fi Alliance® is fully complying with the recent U.S. Department of Commerce order without revoking Huawei Technologies membership. Wi-Fi Alliance has temporarily restricted Huawei Technologies participation in Wi-Fi Alliance activities covered by the order.

About Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi®. Members of our collaboration forum come together from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with the shared vision to connect everyone and everything, everywhere, while providing the best possible user experience. Since 2000, Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 45,000 Wi-Fi certifications. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ seal of approval designates products with proven interoperability, backward compatibility, and the highest industry-standard security protections in place. Today, Wi-Fi carries more than half of the internet’s traffic in an ever-expanding variety of applications. Wi-Fi Alliance continues to drive the adoption and evolution of Wi-Fi, which billions of people rely on every day.

Media contacts: 
Ross Levanto
Highwire PR for Wi-Fi Alliance
wi-fi@highwirepr.com
+1-415-963-4174 ext. 4

Professionally designed, pre-installed Wi-Fi® networks now available for multi-family residential complexes

Austin, Texas, May 15, 2019 – Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Home Design™, a certification program from Wi-Fi Alliance® that brings professionally designed, builder-installed Wi-Fi® networks to new homes, now delivers a great, whole home user experience in single-family homes and multi-family residences such as apartments, condominiums, and townhomes. With smart products proliferating into homes and users favoring technology solutions that interoperate with devices already owned, Wi-Fi Home Design™ provides a move-in-ready foundation for simply and intuitively integrating more connected devices and expanding the smart home. 

Wi-Fi Home Design provides new home builders with an industry-approved network installation plan based on exacting Wi-Fi deployment guidelines. The guidelines define criteria for access point (AP) placement to eliminate dead spots and deliver strong Wi-Fi coverage throughout the entire home and outdoor spaces including balconies and patios. Multi-family residences benefit from established parameters around AP placement, channel selection, and signal strength that mitigate interference from neighboring Wi-Fi networks and ensure reliable connections. Wi-Fi Home Design can be deployed throughout an entire building or by individual floor.

“Wi-Fi Home Design delivers users with high confidence of the Wi-Fi performance within their homes,” said Edgar Figueroa, president and CEO of Wi-Fi Alliance. “Wi-Fi Home Design is now capable of providing a great experience to millions of people inhabiting multi-dwelling or high-rise residences, even in dense urban environments.” 

Lennar, one of the largest homebuilders in the U.S., introduced the world’s first Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Home Design in 2017, making it a standard feature in the homes. Already, Lennar has added Wi-Fi Home Design to 62 new multi-family communities and is continuing to expand availability.

“We live in a wireless world, but ironically it’s often limited in the place people need it most – their own homes,” said Lennar’s David Kaiserman. “Engineering a home with no dead spots is a natural for Lennar. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ badge is the gold standard for connectivity, which is now being brought to the home. Just like with most leading technology products, it lets consumers know exactly what they’re getting and sets the bar high for what’s possible today and in the future.”

“Home buyers want connected homes, and there is a shift from viewing Wi-Fi as an optional feature to something that is standard and expected in their homes,” said Ken Gear, CEO, Leading Builders of America. “Homes are increasingly offering automated features that rely on Wi-Fi and deliver a range of IT applications, and more home builders are supporting move-in-ready Wi-Fi to provide the best experience to their customers from the minute they purchase the home.”

Wi-Fi Home Design certification requires builders to deploy Wi-Fi CERTIFIED equipment that meets appropriate levels of performance. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED equipment indicates products meet industry-agreed standards for interoperability and security. APs deployed as part of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED floor plans are typically enterprise-grade and deliver the latest in Wi-Fi technologies. Users with certified floor plans will have a more seamless experience integrating new Wi-Fi CERTIFIED devices into their homes.

“Wi-Fi Home Design has brought tremendous value by leveraging enterprise design experience to the modern, connected single-family home,” said Mark Hamilton, director of Regulatory Affairs and Standards, Ruckus Networks (now part of CommScope). “This next phase will bring the same benefits to multi-family housing, including addressing the need for higher density and an opportunity for centralized management. In the age of the smart home, Wi-Fi Home Design provides a foundation for wireless connectivity across houses of all sizes. This new design will help ensure home owners get seamless connectivity to support the latest bandwidth-intensive applications.”

For more information on Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Home Design, please visit: https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/wi-fi-home-design

About Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi®. Members of our collaboration forum come together from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with the shared vision to connect everyone and everything, everywhere, while providing the best possible user experience. Since 2000, Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 45,000 Wi-Fi certifications. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ seal of approval designates products with proven interoperability, backward compatibility, and the highest industry-standard security protections in place. Today, Wi-Fi carries more than half of the internet’s traffic in an ever-expanding variety of applications. Wi-Fi Alliance continues to drive the adoption and evolution of Wi-Fi, which billions of people rely on every day.

Media contacts: 
Andrea Torres
Highwire PR for Wi-Fi Alliance
wi-fi@highwirepr.com
+1-415-963-4174 ext. 13

Seamless, secure Wi-Fi® enhancements provide more flexible operator deployments

April 16, 2019 – Austin, Texas – Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint® is adding new features to simplify operator deployments and deliver a seamless and secure Wi-Fi® user experience. Features now available in Passpoint® simplify the online sign-up capability, support unique operator requirements, and enable relevant venue information to be sent to users while continuing to protect connections with strong security. New capabilities enable traditional and managed network operators to unlock more value from Wi-Fi public hotspots, citywide networks, and venues, while delivering enhanced support for Wi-Fi roaming, mobile traffic offload, and
Wi-Fi calling.

Wi-Fi Alliance® is introducing four key capabilities for Passpoint that will deliver enhanced security, greater flexibility, and more value for operator deployments. The new capabilities include:

• Simplified online sign-up: drives a common provisioning methodology across vendors using a single SSID – or the “name of the network” as seen by users – to simplify deployment and configuration
• Venue-specific information: allows a device to obtain relevant local information about a venue to inform the user of available services provided by the operator
• Expanded enterprise-level security: supports WPA2™-Enterprise and next generation WPA3™-Enterprise for a strong level of authentication and connectivity
• Operator-specific policies: provides a streamlined solution for acceptance of terms and conditions when in public hotspots

“Passpoint brings benefits to nearly every type of Wi-Fi operator, delivering seamless, secure Wi-Fi access and providing a foundation for global roaming agreements,” said Edgar Figueroa, president and CEO, Wi-Fi Alliance. “Wi-Fi Alliance is continually enhancing its programs to address market needs and bring the most value to Wi-Fi users, product vendors, and operators.”

Passpoint is included in most enterprise-class APs on the market today, is supported by major mobile operating systems including Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows 10, and is broadly supported by a wide ecosystem of global device manufacturers, mobile operators, and service providers. Passpoint is also a key component of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Vantage™, a suite of technologies that drastically improve the user experience in managed networks. Wi-Fi Vantage™ devices layer the benefits of Passpoint’s seamless light-touch authentication, better resource management, enterprise-level security, and high-performance Wi-Fi to bring a better user experience in challenging network environments.

For more information on Passpoint, please visit: https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/passpoint.

About Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is the worldwide network of companies that brings you Wi-Fi®. Members of our collaboration forum come together from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with the shared vision to connect everyone and everything, everywhere, while providing the best possible user experience. Since 2000, Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 45,000 Wi-Fi certifications. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ seal of approval designates products with proven interoperability, backward compatibility, and the highest industry-standard security protections in place. Today, Wi-Fi carries more than half of the internet’s traffic in an ever-expanding variety of applications. Wi-Fi Alliance continues to drive the adoption and evolution of Wi-Fi, which billions of people rely on every day.

Media contacts: 
Andrea Torres
Highwire PR for Wi-Fi Alliance
wi-fi@highwirepr.com
+1-415-963-4174 ext. 13