Austin, Texas, September 9, 2013 –With industry momentum and user anticipation of 60 GHz technology growing, Wi-Fi Alliance® has designated WiGig CERTIFIED™ as the certification brand for products approved in its forthcoming interoperability program. The certification brand will be designated with a new logo, available for use on certified products entering the market as soon as next year.

WiGig CERTIFIED products will operate in the 60 GHz frequency band and deliver multi-gigabit speed, low latency traffic, and security-protected connectivity between nearby devices. Many WiGig CERTIFIED products are expected to be Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ as well, and products implementing both WiGig® and Wi-Fi® will include mechanisms to facilitate seamless handover between the two technologies.

“We are excited to expand the Wi-Fi Alliance interoperability program to include WiGig CERTIFIED products, which will deliver the same security and interoperability that consumers have come to expect with Wi-Fi,” said Edgar Figueroa, Wi-Fi Alliance president and CEO. “WiGig CERTIFIED will be an excellent complement to Wi-Fi CERTIFIED, advancing our vision of seamless connectivity and extending the user experience to new applications.”

In addition to developing a certification program to validate product interoperability, Wi-Fi Alliance has initiated several projects to address 60 GHz implementations of data, display, and audio applications. Newly-formed cooperative relationships with other industry organizations will also help ensure delivery of the best user experience with a variety of applications on WiGig CERTIFIED products.

Wi-Fi Alliance has engaged with the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) and has formally transferred the WiGig Serial Extension Specification to that organization, which plans to use it as a foundation to develop a Media Agnostic USB Specification. It is expected that WiGig CERTIFIED and Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products will implement USB functionality.

“The USB-IF is pleased to accept the transfer of the WiGig Serial Extension Specification from Wi-Fi Alliance, and it shares the commitment to enhance wireless connectivity with USB devices,” said Jeff Ravencraft, USB-IF President and COO. “The forthcoming Media Agnostic USB Specification will give consumers more flexibility to wirelessly connect their USB enabled devices.”

Wi-Fi Alliance has also engaged in a Liaison Agreement with the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) to facilitate the certification of products based on the WiGig Display Extension Specification, which is expected to be implemented in some WiGig CERTIFIED products.

“The collaboration between VESA and Wi-Fi Alliance was designed to define the next generation standard of wireless display technology,” said Bill Lempesis, executive director of the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). “The ability to connect PCs and handhelds to monitors, projectors and HDTVs wirelessly is highly desired among consumers and IT users. We believe that the wireless ecosystem stands to benefit from both our ongoing collaboration and the introduction of WiGig CERTIFIED.”

The integration of WiGig Alliance into Wi-Fi Alliance, announced in January 2013, has concluded, with all technology and work efforts now consolidated in Wi-Fi Alliance. More information about WiGig, including a white paper summarizing the technology, is available at www.wi-fi.org.

About Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to seamless connectivity. With technology development, market building, and regulatory programs, Wi-Fi Alliance has enabled widespread adoption of Wi-Fi® worldwide. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ program was launched in March 2000. It provides a widely-recognized designation of interoperability and quality, and it helps to ensure that Wi-Fi-enabled products deliver the best user experience. Wi-Fi Alliance has certified more than 15,000 products, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services in new and established markets.

Wi-Fi®, Wi-Fi Alliance®, WMM®, Wi-Fi Protected Access® (WPA), WiGig®, Wi-Fi Direct®, the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo, the Wi-Fi logo, the Wi-Fi ZONE logo and the Wi-Fi Protected Setup logo are registered trademarks of Wi-Fi Alliance. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, Wi-Fi Protected Setup™, Wi-Fi Multimedia™, WPA2™, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint™, Passpoint™, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast™, Miracast™, Wi-Fi ZONE™, WiGig CERTIFIED™, and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of Wi-Fi Alliance.

Follow us on Twitter: @wifialliance
Wi-Fi Alliance YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/wifialliance

Contact:                               

Karl Stetson                                                                         
Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance
karl.stetson@zenogroup.com
+1-206-297-5943

USB-IF Contact:
Owen Sexton
press@usb.org
+1-512-322-5749

VESA Contact:
Marta Weissenborn
McGrath Power
MartaWeissenborn@mcgrathpower.com
+1-408-200-3762

The USB-IF has established a MA USB Work Group which is currently developing the MA USB specification 1.0. To find out how to participate in the MA USB Work Group contact the USB-IF at admin@usb.org.

Latest Wi-Fi generation supports demanding applications of today and tomorrow

AUSTIN, TX, June 19, 2013 – Wi-Fi® technology has again made a significant leap in performance. Today, Wi-Fi Alliance® launched its Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ ac certification program. Building on the high-performance foundation of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac products deliver whole-home coverage at two or even three times the speed of older Wi-Fi products and handle demanding applications such as Ultra HD and 4K  video, multimedia, and rapid file transfer with ease.

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac products arrive at a time when Wi-Fi use has exploded and adoption of demanding applications is on the rise. Recent polling conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of Wi-Fi Alliance reflects a number of relevant trends:

• The number of Wi-Fi devices in U.S. households has doubled over the past five years.
• There is an average of four devices now connected to the home Wi-Fi network during peak usage times.
• Sixty percent of U.S. respondents indicated they are using Wi-Fi for multimedia applications more now than they were three years ago.
• Among young people (18-24 years of age), Wi-Fi is more essential than traditional forms of entertainment – 69 percent of respondents in that age group said that a Wi-Fi outage would be more disruptive than a television outage in their home.

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac products bring additional capacity, performance, and robustness to support the connected applications of today and tomorrow, at home, in public places, and in enterprise networks alike. The certification program, based on technology defined in the IEEE 802.11ac standard, takes Wi-Fi capabilities to new levels of performance:

• Higher data rates – Networks based on Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac can deliver data rates up to more than double those of a typical Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n network. For users, this means a network can support simultaneously streaming multiple HD-quality videos to multiple devices.
• Greater capacity – More devices can be simultaneously connected to a Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac network without reducing performance.
• Reduced latency – Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac products can deliver a higher-quality user experience with applications such as gaming or streaming music, where even the slightest delay can have a detrimental impact.

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac operates in 5 GHz, where devices can make use of increased bandwidth to achieve a higher data rate. Most Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac products are also expected to be dual-band, operating in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, and to support Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n in the 2.4 GHz frequency band. Adoption of dual-band products has been on the rise in recent years, and is expected to increase with the introduction of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac. Dual-band networks double capacity, because devices can use the less crowded 5 GHz band for high performance applications, and the 2.4 GHz band for basic needs.

“Consumers have an insatiable appetite for rich, connected experiences,” said Edgar Figueroa, president and CEO of Wi-Fi Alliance. “Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac advances the ability of Wi-Fi to satisfy that appetite by increasing capacity and improving performance, thus paving the way for new products and services that provide a great user experience.”

Wi-Fi has continued to evolve to meet users’ data and usage demands and to improve access to content, without sacrificing core competencies like interoperability and security. ABI Research predicts that shipments of dual-band Wi-Fi chipsets – including both Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n and Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac - will exceed 1.5 billion by the end of 2014.

“Progression within the Wi-Fi industry has been driven primarily by applications in the mobile and connected home space,” said Phil Solis, ABI Research analyst. “The latest generation of the technology, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac, preserves interoperability, which has been the foundation for the technology’s success, and will enable product manufacturers to continue to explore new avenues for wireless connectivity.”

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac mobile devices, tablets, laptops, consumer electronics products and networking gear will be available in the second half of this year. Enterprise environments and industrial applications will follow the consumer product adoption and will also benefit from higher performance for data intensive applications.

The first Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac products which form the test suite for the certification program are:

• Broadcom BCM4360 5G WiFi Single Chip MAC/PHY/Radio for Clients and Routers
• Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260
• Marvell Avastar 88W8897 AP Reference Design
• Marvell Avastar 88W8897 STA Reference Design
• MediaTek Dual Band 802.11ac Reference Access Point
• MediaTek Dual Band 802.11ac Reference STA
• Qualcomm® VIVE™ 802.11ac 3-stream Dual-band, Dual-concurrent Router
• Qualcomm® VIVE™ 802.11ac 3-stream, PCIe Client
• Realtek RTL8197D+RTL8188AR+RTL8192CE AP/Router
• Realtek RTL8812AE HMC card

More information, including a list of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED ac products, white papers, FAQ, and more is available at www.wi-ficertifiedac.com.

About Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to seamless connectivity. With technology development, market building, and regulatory programs, Wi-Fi Alliance has enabled widespread adoption of Wi-Fi® worldwide. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ program was launched in March 2000. It provides a widely-recognized designation of interoperability and quality, and it helps to ensure that Wi-Fi-enabled products deliver the best user experience. Wi-Fi Alliance has certified more than 15,000 products, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services in new and established markets.

Wi-Fi®, Wi-Fi Alliance®, WMM®, Wi-Fi Protected Access® (WPA), the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo, the Wi-Fi logo, the Wi-Fi ZONE logo and the Wi-Fi Protected Setup logo are registered trademarks of Wi-Fi Alliance. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, Wi-Fi Direct™, Wi-Fi Protected Setup™, Wi-Fi Multimedia™, WPA2™, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint™, Passpoint™, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast™, Miracast™, Wi-Fi ZONE™ and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of Wi-Fi Alliance. WiGig® is a registered trademark of the WiGig Alliance.

Follow us on Twitter: @wifialliance
Wi-Fi Alliance YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/wifialliance

Contact:                                
Karl Stetson                                                                        
Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance
karl.stetson@zenogroup.com
206-297-5943

Methodological note:

The Wi-Fi Alliance Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 U.S. adults, ages 18 and older, between June 4th and June 11th, 2013, using an email invitation and an online survey. Quotas have been set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the U.S. adult population 18 and older.

Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

Austin, Texas, June 18, 2013 – Wi-Fi Alliance^® applauds the support of the United States executive branch of the federal government toward the goal of efficiently sharing more airwaves with the public.  The visionary plan put forward by U.S. President Barack Obama will have a positive and long lasting impact, and immediately open new opportunities for thriving commerce and innovation.  Wi-Fi^® is a terrific example of the benefits that can be derived from spectrum sharing.  Freeing more of the wireless spectrum for shared use will allow the broader wireless community, from product developers to service providers and the general public, to maximize the economic and social benefit from these airwaves.  We are pleased to hear such strong support from the U.S. government, and also appreciate its commitment to promote further spectrum sharing innovation through federal R&D investments.

About Wi-Fi Alliance^®
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance^® is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to seamless connectivity. With technology development, market building, and regulatory programs, Wi-Fi Alliance has enabled widespread adoption of Wi-Fi^® worldwide. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED^™ program was launched in March 2000. It provides a widely-recognized designation of interoperability and quality, and it helps to ensure that Wi-Fi-enabled products deliver the best user experience. Wi-Fi Alliance has certified more than 15,000 products, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services in new and established markets.

Wi-Fi^®, Wi-Fi Alliance^®, WMM^®, Wi-Fi Protected Access^® (WPA), the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo, the Wi-Fi logo, the Wi-Fi ZONE logo and the Wi-Fi Protected Setup logo are registered trademarks of Wi-Fi Alliance. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED^™, Wi-Fi Direct^™, Wi-Fi Protected Setup^™, Wi-Fi Multimedia^™, WPA2^™, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint^™, Passpoint^™, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast^™, Miracast^™, Wi-Fi ZONE^™ and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of Wi-Fi Alliance. WiGig^® is a registered trademark of the WiGig Alliance.

Follow us on Twitter: @wifialliance
Wi-Fi Alliance YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/wifialliance

Contact:                
Karl Stetson                                                                          
Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance
karl.stetson@zenogroup.com
206-297-5943

Independent research: Wi-Fi delivers the same capacity for half the operators’ Total Cost of Ownership compared to LTE

Austin, Texas, May 21, 2013 – Wi-Fi has emerged as a cost-effective solution for operators who face serious capacity problems on their mobile networks.  Small cells have come into sharp focus as operators contend with data traffic growth exceeding 60 percent annually and particularly difficult coverage challenges in dense environments.

Independent research released this week analyzes small-cell economics and confirms that when examined on CAPEX, OPEX, and per-bit capacity, Wi-Fi nodes are compelling as compared with both 3G and 4G nodes.

The economic model and results are detailed in “Carrier Wi-Fi for Mobile Operators: A TCO Model Assessing the Cost Benefits to Wi-Fi and Cellular Small-Cell Joint Deployments,” developed by Senza Fili Consulting and commissioned by Wi-Fi Alliance®.  The model takes a long-term view of per-bit Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for Wi-Fi, 3G and 4G small cell technologies.  Among the findings:

• Per-bit TCO for Wi-Fi is about half of LTE and ten per cent of 3G small cells
• Comparison against even the most advanced licensed small cells does not change the picture:  Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ n and newest-generation Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ ac, entering the market this year, outperform LTE and LTE-A on per-bit TCO
• Operators need not choose either 3G/4G or Wi-Fi.  When a combined Wi-Fi/cellular solution is deployed in a single location, per-bit TCO is dramatically reduced

“Given their performance, capacity and cost-effectiveness, Wi-Fi small cells are a compelling element of a variety of coverage strategies and operator business models,” said Monica Paolini, President of Senza Fili Consulting. “Operators can deploy Wi-Fi and licensed small-cell solutions in separate environments, together on the same nodes, or investing exclusively in Wi-Fi small cells ahead of 4G maturity.”

The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint™ program, introduced last year, has created an industry standard that streamlines network access and eliminates the need for users to find and authenticate a network each time they connect.  The end result is a cellular-like experience for Wi-Fi, with devices having the ability to automatically connect and roam across multiple networks.  Since its introduction, more than 100 smartphones, tablets and access points have been certified.

“Operators have embraced Wi-Fi technology and are deploying it in a variety of ways,” said Edgar Figueroa, president and CEO of the Wi-Fi Alliance.  “Wi-Fi Alliance has introduced a range of solutions to meet operators’ needs, including Passpoint.  We are working across the industry to contribute to the development of end-to-end solutions for operator networks.”

Some mobile operators have implemented interim solutions to roaming, in order to extend Wi-Fi coverage to one another’s subscribers.  Meanwhile, the worldwide transition to industry-standard
Wi-Fi roaming is underway, with multi-operator trials on Passpoint-certified equipment taking place now.  Wi-Fi Alliance has collaborated with other industry groups to ensure the building blocks are in place to create a truly global Wi-Fi roaming experience.

For more information about the Passpoint certification program, operator Wi-Fi solutions, and subscriber demand for a differentiated mobile Wi-Fi experience, visit www.wi-fi.org/operators.

About Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance® is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to seamless connectivity. With technology development, market building, and regulatory programs, Wi-Fi Alliance has enabled widespread adoption of Wi-Fi® worldwide. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ program was launched in March 2000. It provides a widely-recognized designation of interoperability and quality, and it helps to ensure that Wi-Fi-enabled products deliver the best user experience. Wi-Fi Alliance has certified more than 15,000 products, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services in new and established markets.

Wi-Fi®, Wi-Fi Alliance®, WMM®, Wi-Fi Protected Access® (WPA), the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo, the Wi-Fi logo, the Wi-Fi ZONE logo and the Wi-Fi Protected Setup logo are registered trademarks of Wi-Fi Alliance. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, Wi-Fi Direct™, Wi-Fi Protected Setup™, Wi-Fi Multimedia™, WPA2™, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint™, Passpoint™, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast™, Miracast™, Wi-Fi ZONE™ and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of Wi-Fi Alliance. WiGig® is a registered trademark of the WiGig Alliance.

Media Contact:
Karl Stetson
Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance
206-715-4416
karl.stetson@edelman.com

Unified 60 GHz activities now underway  

Austin, Texas, March 5, 2013 – Wi-Fi Alliance® and Wireless Gigabit (WiGig®) Alliance have finalized the agreement defining consolidation of WiGig technology and certification development in Wi-Fi Alliance. This milestone marks the successful completion of the process initiated when the groups announced a Memorandum of Understanding in December 2012, and is the culmination of two years of collaboration between the organizations.

“This is a significant and exciting moment for our members and our industry,” said Wi-Fi Alliance president and CEO Edgar Figueroa. “With 60 GHz efforts concentrated in one organization we have the momentum, technology, and members to deliver on the promise of WiGig technology.”

Wi-Fi Alliance will continue work begun in WiGig Alliance on features that extend WiGig capabilities beyond baseline connectivity, to address a range of applications from high-definition WiGig Display, to peripheral connectivity and I/O cable replacement.

Consolidation of the activities in Wi-Fi Alliance will deliver closely-harmonized connectivity and application-layer solutions using WiGig technology. Shortly after the groups announced plans to integrate, members of both organizations conducted the third WiGig interoperability testing event. These events will continue throughout the year and lead to the baseline interoperability certification program in early 2014.

WiGig technology has continued to gain momentum, and will soon bring users closer to a future of seamless wireless connectivity, with WiGig solutions expanding on traditional Wi-Fi® usages. Early 60 GHz implementations based on the WiGig specifications are entering the market now, and ABI Research forecasts that by 2016, annual shipments of devices with both Wi-Fi and WiGig technology will reach 1.8 billion.

About Wi-Fi Alliance
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to seamless connectivity. With technology development, market building, and regulatory programs, Wi-Fi Alliance has enabled widespread adoption of Wi-Fi worldwide. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ program was launched in March 2000. It provides a widely-recognized designation of interoperability and quality, and it helps to ensure that Wi-Fi-enabled products deliver the best user experience. Wi-Fi Alliance has certified more than 14,000 products, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services in new and established markets. Wi-Fi®, Wi-Fi Alliance®, WMM®, Wi-Fi Protected Access® (WPA), the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo, the Wi-Fi logo, the Wi-Fi ZONE logo and the Wi-Fi Protected Setup logo are registered trademarks of Wi-Fi Alliance. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, Wi-Fi Direct™, Wi-Fi Protected Setup™, Wi-Fi Multimedia™, WPA2™, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint™, Passpoint™, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast™, Miracast™, Wi-Fi ZONE™ and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of Wi-Fi Alliance.  WiGig® is a registered trademark of the WiGig Alliance.

Media contacts:
Karl Stetson                                                                        
Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance
206-268-2215
karl.stetson@edelman.com

Austin, Texas, February 25, 2013 - The United States Federal Communications Commission voted unanimously last week to propose the release of significant new wireless spectrum for Wi-Fi® via a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM).  The rulemaking would make available an additional 195 MHz of spectrum in the 5 GHz band for Wi-Fi, and is particularly useful for the emerging generation of gigabit-speed Wi-Fi, based on IEEE 802.11ac.  This would be the largest block of unlicensed spectrum made available for Wi-Fi in the U.S. in more than a decade.

Interested parties will have 45 days to submit comments, and an additional 30 days to submit reply comments, from the time the NPRM is published in the Federal Register, which is likely to occur within the next few weeks.  The FCC will consider input from the public as well as the input from the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which administers spectrum used by U.S. federal entities that currently employ some of the 5 GHz band.  After that, the FCC will issue one or more decisions, likely making some or all of the targeted 195 MHz available.

Wi-Fi Alliance® Perspective:
Wi-Fi Alliance commends the United States Federal Communications Commission for its leadership and swift progress toward this spectrum release.

“Consumers, service providers and businesses rely on Wi-Fi now more than ever,” said Wi-Fi Alliance president and CEO Edgar Figueroa.  “The added spectrum in 5 GHz will foster continued innovation in Wi-Fi technology and help propel advancements toward faster, less congested Wi-Fi networks in homes, enterprises, and public places throughout the United States.”

About Wi-Fi Alliance
www.wi-fi.org
Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to seamless connectivity. With technology development, market building, and regulatory programs, Wi-Fi Alliance has enabled widespread adoption of Wi-Fi worldwide. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ program was launched in March 2000. It provides a widely-recognized designation of interoperability and quality and it helps to ensure that Wi-Fi-enabled products deliver the best user experience. Wi-Fi Alliance has certified more than 14,000 products, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services in new and established markets. Wi-Fi®, Wi-Fi Alliance®, WMM®, Wi-Fi Protected Access® (WPA), the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo, the Wi-Fi logo, the Wi-Fi ZONE logo and the Wi-Fi Protected Setup logo are registered trademarks of Wi-Fi Alliance. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, Wi-Fi Direct™, Wi-Fi Protected Setup™, Wi-Fi Multimedia™, WPA2™, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint™, Passpoint™, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Miracast™, Miracast™,
Wi-Fi ZONE™ and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of Wi-Fi Alliance.

Media contacts:
Karl Stetson                                                                         
Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance
206-268-2215
karl.stetson@edelman.com

AUSTIN, TX, January 24, 2012 – Utilities, appliance makers and other vendors attending DistribuTECH 2012 in San Antonio this week have an opportunity to witness an important milestone for smart energy.  The Wi-Fi Alliance will conduct a multi-vendor interoperability demonstration of Wi-Fi device connectivity to both Wi-Fi and ZigBee meters. This will be the first public demonstration of SEP 2 over multiple technologies.

Eight vendors will participate in the demonstration, which is open to all event attendees: Aclara®, Broadcom®, Elbrys Networks, Gainspan, Grid2Home, Intwine Energy Networks, Qualcomm Atheros and Texas Instruments. The demonstration will showcase demand response and load control scenarios with Wi-Fi thermostats and smart plugs. Demonstrations will be hosted at the Wi-Fi Alliance DistribuTECH booth #1345 at the following days and times:

• Tuesday, January 24 at 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, January 25 at 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

“This is an exciting next step in our progress towards a multi-technology, interoperable smart grid,” said Greg Ennis, technical director of the Wi-Fi Alliance. “It is also a result of the Smart Energy Forum we hosted last August, reflecting our industry’s commitment to collaboration across technologies.”

The DistribuTECH demonstration builds on the momentum from the first ever multi-vendor, Wi-Fi smart energy demonstration in August 2011 at the inaugural Wi-Fi Alliance Smart Energy Forum in Chicago. Members of the Wi-Fi Alliance are also working to define a certification program for SEP 2 Wi-Fi devices that will enable implementation of smart energy applications on a wide variety of new and existing device categories.

About the Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to seamless connectivity. With technology development, market building, and regulatory programs, the Wi-Fi Alliance has enabled widespread adoption of
Wi-Fi worldwide.

The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ program was launched in March 2000. It provides a widely-recognized designation of interoperability and quality and it helps to ensure that Wi-Fi-enabled products deliver the best user experience. The Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 12,500 product certifications, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services in new and established markets. 
 
Wi-Fi®, Wi-Fi Alliance®, WMM®, Wi-Fi Protected Access® (WPA), the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo, the Wi-Fi logo, the Wi-Fi ZONE logo and the Wi-Fi Protected Setup logo are registered trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, Wi-Fi Direct™, Wi-Fi Protected Setup™, Wi-Fi Multimedia™, WPA2™, Passpoint™ and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance.

Follow us on Twitter: @wifialliance
Wi-Fi Alliance YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/wifialliance

Contact: 
Karl Stetson
Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance
karl.stetson@edelman.com
206-268-2215

Inaccurate moniker will lead to consumer confusion

AUSTIN, TX, January 27, 2012 – The Wi-Fi Alliance supports efforts to use the unlicensed spectrum known as Television White Spaces to expand connectivity.  However, Wi-Fi Alliance cautions that the use of terminology such as “Super Wi-Fi” or “Next Generation Wi-Fi” for the Television White Spaces implementations available today will lead to substantial user confusion. Consumers should be aware that recently-announced deployments using terms like “Super Wi-Fi” are not in fact Wi-Fi®.

• The technology touted as “Super Wi-Fi” does not interoperate with the billions of Wi-Fi devices in use today
• Today’s deployments in Television White Spaces do not deliver the same user experience as is available in Wi-Fi hotspots and home networks
• Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance and the term “Super Wi-Fi” is not an authorized extension of the brand
• Wi-Fi Alliance discourages the use of Wi-Fi in a manner that could confuse consumers

“The Wi-Fi Alliance supports efforts to use the unlicensed spectrum known as Television White Spaces to expand connectivity. However, there is currently no Wi-Fi technology that operates in this spectrum,” said Wi-Fi Alliance Marketing Director Kelly Davis-Felner. “It is important that users not be misled into confusing any such technology with Wi-Fi.”

About the Wi-Fi Alliance®
www.wi-fi.org
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to seamless connectivity. With technology development, market building, and regulatory programs, the Wi-Fi Alliance has enabled widespread adoption of Wi-Fi worldwide.

The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ program was launched in March 2000. It provides a widely-recognized designation of interoperability and quality and it helps to ensure that Wi-Fi-enabled products deliver the best user experience. The Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 12,500 product certifications, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services in new and established markets. 
 
Wi-Fi®, Wi-Fi Alliance®, WMM®, Wi-Fi Protected Access® (WPA), the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo, the Wi-Fi logo, the Wi-Fi ZONE logo and the Wi-Fi Protected Setup logo are registered trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, Wi-Fi Direct™, Wi-Fi Protected Setup™, Wi-Fi Multimedia™, WPA2™, Passpoint™ and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance.

Follow us on Twitter: @wifialliance
Wi-Fi Alliance YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/wifialliance
Wi-Fi Alliance News RSS Feed: www.wi-fi.org/newsroom_rss.php

Contact:     
Karl Stetson     
Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance
karl.stetson@edelman.com
206-268-2215

Forthcoming Wi-Fi technologies will extend performance and ease of use in 2012 and beyond

AUSTIN, TX, January 10, 2012 – With more than a billion products shipped in 2011 and continued growth in mobile and digital home devices, Wi-Fi is thriving. Yet the industry is not resting on its laurels. A number of inventive new offerings on the horizon will improve Wi-Fi’s usefulness in multimedia, deliver yet another performance boost, and provide easy access to Wi-Fi on the go.

“Each year our industry is even more exciting than the last,” said Edgar Figueroa, CEO of the Wi-Fi Alliance®. “We continue to enable new use cases for Wi-Fi where it enhances the user experience. The future has never been brighter for Wi-Fi.”

The Wi-Fi industry’s constant innovation has put it on a growth trajectory that shows no signs of slowing down. Recent data from ABI Research indicates that Wi-Fi-enabled device shipments continue to skyrocket, building a strong foundation of market momentum on which to introduce the new Wi-Fi capabilities.

Shipments of Wi-Fi devices reached nearly 1.1 billion in 2011 and are expected to double by 2015. Growth in the connected home category – which includes devices such as TVs, media players and gaming consoles – is expected to reach 35 percent from 2011-2016. While connected home and the mobile device category continue to shine, the other product categories set to take off might take some by surprise:
• Wi-Fi is predicted to grow 109 percent between 2011-2016 in automotive applications such as infotainment systems, navigation, and traffic monitoring
• Wi-Fi is predicted to grow 39 percent between 2011-2016 in health, fitness and medical applications
• Wi-Fi is predicted to grow 25 percent between 2011-2016 in smart meters and automation products

“We have watched the continued momentum of Wi-Fi and its expansion into new product categories,” said Peter Cooney, Practice Director, Semiconductors, for ABI Research. “For any technology to have a growth rate of 16 percent over the next five years is an impressive outlook, but it’s no surprise when you consider how versatile and useful Wi-Fi has become.”

"The growth in Wi-Fi certifications reflects the momentum in our industry,” continued Figueroa. “It took our organization eight years to complete 5,000 product certifications. Notably, more than 3,500 product certifications were completed in 2011. Much of the previous year’s growth has been in the connected home category, and now our programs are expanding into an even wider array of segments and applications.”

Member companies of the Wi-Fi Alliance continue to develop exciting programs to meet the demands of a broad range of applications. The coming year will bring progress on a slate of exciting new additions to Wi-Fi capabilities:
• A new certification for Wi-Fi display applications, planned for mid- 2012, will make it easy to share rich video and audio content, including HD video, between devices without the need for a traditional Wi-Fi network. Devices implementing this technology will work across vendors, and will require WPA2™ security protections.
• Faster, high-performance technologies are also coming soon. Wi-Fi Alliance interoperability programs for 60 GHz (802.11ad) and Very High Throughput in 5 GHz (802.11ac) are in development. These programs will provide high-performance connectivity for a range of home applications, allowing users to network data-demanding digital home devices without sacrificing performance.
• To make connecting to Wi-Fi simpler when on the go, Wi-Fi Alliance will launch Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint™ in 2012. Devices with this certification will facilitate a seamless connectivity experience in hotspots. This will allow service providers to ease congestion of mobile networks and improve the customer experience, while also allowing end users to easily connect in a hotspot without the cumbersome credential and login process that is typical today.

For more information on Wi-Fi Alliance programs, visit www.wi-fi.org.

About the Wi-Fi Alliance
www.wi-fi.org
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to seamless connectivity. With technology development, market building, and regulatory programs, the Wi-Fi Alliance has enabled widespread adoption of Wi-Fi worldwide.

The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ program was launched in March 2000. It provides a widely-recognized designation of interoperability and quality and it helps to ensure that Wi-Fi enabled products deliver the best user experience. The Wi-Fi Alliance has completed nearly 12,500 product certifications, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services in new and established markets. 
 
Wi-Fi®, Wi-Fi Alliance®, WMM®, Wi-Fi Protected Access® (WPA), the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo, the Wi-Fi logo, the Wi-Fi ZONE logo and the Wi-Fi Protected Setup logo are registered trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, Wi-Fi Direct™, Wi-Fi Protected Setup™, Wi-Fi Multimedia™, WPA2™, Passpoint™, and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance.

Follow us on Twitter: @wifialliance
Wi-Fi Alliance YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/wifialliance

Contact:     
Karl Stetson     
Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance
karl.stetson@edelman.com
206-268-2215

DLNA® and Wi-Fi Direct™ Make It Easier Than Ever for Consumers to Connect Devices

PORTLAND, OR – November 15, 2011 – The Digital Living Network Alliance® (DLNA®) today announced that Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct has been incorporated into its Interoperability Guidelines. Wi-Fi Direct is a certification by the Wi-Fi Alliance® for products that are capable of device-to-device connections without the presence of a traditional home, office or hotspot network. Through incorporation into the DLNA Interoperability Guidelines, Wi-Fi Direct will expand on the existing Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ devices supported by DLNA to enhance wireless connectivity for consumers globally.

“Wi-Fi Direct meets an important need for today’s consumers to enjoy seamless product interoperability,” said Nidhish Parikh, chairman and president of DLNA. “DLNA has supported Wi-Fi CERTIFIED devices since 2005 and the inclusion of Wi-Fi Direct in our Interoperability Guidelines is a logical extension of our relationship with the Wi-Fi Alliance. We continue to advance the connected home by providing consumers with new, innovative ways to connect and enjoy their digital content.”

ABI Research recently examined key market and technology trends for the integration of home networking capability in mobile devices and expects DLNA Certified® and Wi-Fi CERTIFIED
Wi-Fi Direct smartphones to grow strongly through 2016. The firm stated that both will help consumers when connecting devices at home and will bring wireless technology further into the mainstream market.

“Worldwide demand for interoperable, security-protected Wi-Fi® products has grown exponentially in recent years, and the device-to-device usages enabled by Wi-Fi Direct are fundamental to digital home usages for Wi-Fi,” said Edgar Figueroa, CEO of Wi-Fi Alliance. “Wi-Fi continues to evolve and to enhance the connected consumer experience. The incorporation of Wi-Fi Direct into the DLNA Interoperability Guidelines will aid the proliferation of Wi-Fi Direct in today’s connected home.”

DLNA and the Wi-Fi Alliance are also jointly distributing a holiday edition Gadget Guide (http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/wifi/gadgetguide_dlnawfa) which highlights great DLNA Certified® and Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ gift ideas available today for consumer purchase. The 2011 Wi-Fi® and DLNA® Gadget Guide: Holiday Edition is available now.

About DLNA
Members of Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) share a vision of an interoperable network of personal computers (PC), consumer electronics (CE), mobile devices and service providers in and beyond the home, enabling a seamless environment for sharing and growing new digital media and content services. Founded in 2003, the group established and maintains a platform of interoperability based on open and established industry standards that, when used by manufacturers will support the sharing of media through wired or wireless networks. More than 200 multi-industry companies from around the world have joined DLNA, committing the time and resources necessary to achieve their vision. DLNA's Promoter Members include: ACCESS, AT&T, AwoX, Broadcom, CableLabs, Cisco, Comcast, DIRECTV, DTS, Dolby Laboratories, Ericsson, HP, Huawei, Intel, LG, Microsoft, Motorola, Nokia, Panasonic, PROMISE Technology, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, Technicolor and Verizon. Additional information about the Alliance, its participating companies and membership benefits is available at www.dlna.org or find the Alliance on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dlnacertified or on Twitter at @DLNA.

About the Wi-Fi Alliance
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to seamless connectivity. With technology development, market building, and regulatory programs, the Wi-Fi Alliance has enabled widespread adoption of Wi-Fi worldwide.

The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ program was launched in March 2000. It provides a widely-recognized designation of interoperability and quality and it helps to ensure that Wi-Fi enabled products deliver the best user experience. The Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 11,000 product certifications, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services in new and established markets. 
 
Wi-Fi®, Wi-Fi Alliance®, WMM®, Wi-Fi Protected Access® (WPA), the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo, the Wi-Fi logo, the Wi-Fi ZONE logo and the Wi-Fi Protected Setup logo are registered trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, Wi-Fi Direct™, Wi-Fi Protected Setup™, Wi-Fi Multimedia™, WPA2™ and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance. Additional details on the Wi-Fi Alliance and Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct can be found at http://www.wi-fi.org/Wi-Fi_Direct.php. Follow Wi-Fi Alliance on Twitter @wifialliance.

Media Contacts:
John Kreuzer        
McGrath/Power Public Relations for DLNA      
408-727-0351       
johnkreuzer@mcgrathpower.com

Karl Stetson     
Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance
206-268-2215 
karl.stetson@edelman.com