HomePlug® Alliance, Wi-Fi Alliance® and ZigBee® Alliance signed a ground-breaking agreement formalizing the Consortium for SEP 2 Interoperability. The Consortium will provide the Smart Grid ecosystem - including utilities, product vendors and consumers - confidence in application and device interoperability. The agreement defines the structure for the Consortium as it develops an interoperability testing suite. Plans for the Consortium were announced in August of this year.

The Consortium is focused on accelerating the market availability of interoperable Smart Energy Profile 2 (SEP 2) products so that consumers can enjoy the numerous energy management benefits of the Smart Grid via wired and wireless networks. SEP 2 is an Internet Protocol-based application selected in 2009 by the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as a standard for home energy management devices.

The Consortium will create and maintain a comprehensive test and certification test suite to validate interoperability for a variety of wired or wireless devices. Products to be certified as a result of the Consortium's work are expected to include thermostats, appliances, electric meters, gateways, electric vehicles, and countless other devices in the Smart Grid.

"Product interoperability is essential to the realization of the Smart Grid. The Consortium will work to enable interoperability validation across the diverse Smart Grid ecosystem," said Edgar Figueroa, chairman of the Consortium.

"Leveraging the collective expertise of every Consortium member will ensure that SEP 2 delivers a positive experience that helps consumers make smart choices about their energy use," said Bob Heile, vice chairman of the Consortium for SEP 2 Interoperability.

About The Consortium for SEP 2 Interoperability
The Consortium is an inclusive, communications technology-agnostic forum formed to unify and accelerate the realization of interoperable SEP 2 products. The Consortium was formed in 2011 by HomePlug PowerLine Alliance, Wi-Fi Allianceand ZigBee Alliance. Membership is open to eligible organizations with a business interest in SEP 2, see the Memorandum of Understanding for complete membership details.  Questions can be directed to contacts below or visithttp://www.sep2i.org/.

Contacts:

Megan Shockney
The Ardell Group for 
HomePlug Powerline Alliance
megan@ardellgroup.com
+1 858-442-3492

Karl Stetson                                                    
Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance
karl.stetson@edelman.com 
+1 206-268-2215

Rachel Smith
GolinHarris for ZigBee Alliance
rsmith@golinharris.com 
+1 714-918-8208

AUSTIN, TX, October 5, 2011 - Wi-Fi users in the U.S. are confident that they are taking the right steps to protect themselves when using Wi-Fi devices. In fact, 97 percent of Wi-Fi users recently surveyed by Wakefield Research for the Wi-Fi Alliance® report they believe the data on their devices and networks is "safe and secure." However, when asked about which of several recommended steps they have actually taken to protect their Wi-Fi networks or devices, respondents received an overall score of 66 percent, revealing that in practice, users were actually not as safe as they could be.

Most users (86 percent) have taken basic steps to ensure the privacy and security of their Wi-Fi network by enabling security protections on their access point or router. However, the survey data reveals significant gaps that could lead to a false sense of security. Significantly, only 59 percent of users have implemented passwords meeting basic criteria for strength and privacy.

"We are very pleased to see the increase in security awareness and a rise in some of the basic protection measures such as locking down the home network," said Kelly Davis-Felner, marketing director of Wi-Fi Alliance. "But consumers can and should do more to protect themselves. We encourage users to put their knowledge into practice and take a few additional steps to more effectively protect themselves at home and on the go."

Other survey findings included:

• Two out of three Wi-Fi users recognize that responsibility for the security of their data lies with them
• Eighty-five percent of survey respondents understand that their Wi-Fi devices should not be set for automatic sharing, yet only 62 percent actually have auto-sharing turned off
• Only 18 percent of users report that they use a VPN (virtual private network) tool when in a hotspot
• Users who have suffered the effects of a computer virus are no more likely to have better Wi-Fi security behavior than those who have never had any computer viruses
• Users who ranked themselves as "tech-savvy" are no more likely to score better on measures of Wi-Fi security behavior than those who said they are less comfortable with technology

Getting a passing grade on Wi-Fi security can be as simple as A-B-C:

A: Enable WPA2™ security on your network and devices. Look for products with Wi-Fi Protected Setup™ for simple, easy-to-use steps to enable security.

B: Passwords are in your control. Create a strong Wi-Fi network password that is at least eight characters long and includes a mixture of upper and lower case letters and symbols. It is a good practice to change passwords on a regular basis, perhaps once a year during Cyber Security Month.

C: When on the go, connect to networks you know and trust and turn off automatic sharing on devices so you can control what you connect to and who/what connects to you.

More information about Wi-Fi security, including innovations that make setting up security easier, is available at www.wi-fi.org/security. Users can test their own security knowledge with a quick online quiz, watch animations about home Wi-Fi security, and download white papers with detailed information.

Methodological note: The Wi-Fi Security Barometer Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) between August 12th and August 29th, 2011. For this research, 1,000 interviews were fielded among nationally representative ages 18 and older using random-digit telephone dialing. Quotas were set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total U.S. population of Wi-Fi users. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of that variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews conducted. For the 1,000 interviews conducted, 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.

About the Wi-Fi Alliance
http://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 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.

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/wifialliance

Wi-Fi Alliance YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/wifialliance

Wi-Fi Alliance News RSS Feed: http://www.wi-fi.org/newsroom_rss.php

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

AUSTIN, TX, August 3, 2011 - The Wi-Fi Alliance is hosting its inaugural Wi-Fi Smart Energy Forum this week in Chicago. The opening day of the event featured the first large-scale interoperable demonstration of Wi-Fi SEP 2 implementations. In addition, Dr. George Arnold, national coordinator for smart grid interoperability at U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), delivered a keynote address on Tuesday morning.

"There is tremendous momentum in the Wi-Fi industry around smart energy applications, so this event was designed to enable industry players and stakeholders to come together and see Wi-Fi SEP 2 in action," said Edgar Figueroa, CEO of Wi-Fi Alliance. "It's exciting to see how quickly the industry is progressing toward a future where people are able to use Wi-Fi in a wide array of appliances and energy management solutions."

More than 100 people from 65 companies and organizations are in attendance at the event, representing the broad smart energy ecosystem - silicon and device providers, software and networking vendors, as well as utilities and government officials. Guest speakers at the forum reflect a range of categories including utilities with representation from Duke Energy, Pennsylvania Power and Light and Consumers Energy; automotive with representation from Ford Motor Company; and consumer appliances with representation from Whirlpool, LG Electronics and A.O. Smith. The conference sessions have addressed topics ranging from Home Network Architecture and Neighborhood Networks and Advanced Metering Infrastructure to Utility Perspectives and Industrial Applications.

The highlight of the event's opening day was the first ever large-scale demonstration of SEP 2 over Wi-Fi involving multiple vendors from various industries.  This demonstration also showed SEP 2 operating across an integrated Wi-Fi/HomePlug configuration, and featured direct Wi-Fi connectivity to an iPad SEP 2 customer application.  Companies participating in the demonstration included:

• Aclara
• Aruba
• Elbrys Networks
• GainSpan
• Grid2Home
• Intwine Energy
• Oak Tree Consulting
• Qualcomm Atheros
• Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI)
• Ubilogix

"We are proud to see so many great companies participating in the Wi-Fi Smart Energy Forum SEP 2 demonstration," said Wi-Fi Alliance technical director Greg Ennis. "As Wi-Fi continues its momentum in smart energy applications, this demonstration is a testament to the industry's readiness for commercial deployment and the technology's suitability for a wide range of smart energy implementations."

Video from the event, including keynotes and panel discussions, will be available online August 8 on the Wi-Fi Alliance YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/wifialliance.

About the Wi-Fi Alliance
http://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 10,000 product certifications to date, 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.

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/wifialliance
Wi-Fi Alliance News RSS Feed: http://www.wi-fi.org/newsroom_rss.php

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

PARIS, FRANCE: June 21, 2011 - The Wi-Fi Alliance and Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) have announced plans to collaborate in order to harmonize their programs related to Wi-Fi hotspot ease of use and roaming. WBA's inter-operator Wi-Fi roaming efforts and Wi-Fi Alliance's planned certification program for Wi-Fi equipment will be developed with close coordination between the two groups to help ensure the best user experience.

The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ hotspot certification program is designed to create the technology and testing programs necessary to allow Wi-Fi devices to easily connect at hotspots in a security-protected, interoperable fashion by streamlining network selection and access. Wi-Fi Alliance members are working to define technologies and certification requirements for both Wi-Fi infrastructure devices as well as endpoints like handsets, tablets and notebooks. The planned launch of the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED hotspot certification program is targeted for the middle of 2012, with preliminary testing activities expected to begin later this year.

The WBA's Next Generation Hotspot (NGH) program defines interoperability requirements for hotspot and 3G/4G operators. The program includes development of comprehensive operator guidelines and an ecosystem trial to facilitate migration to Next Generation Hotspots. The NGH program builds on the Wi-Fi-based inter-operator roaming and related business best practices developed by WBA. It enables business relationships among various network operators to deliver seamless Wi-Fi access and facilitate offload from licensed networks. A trial launched under the program this week between leading operators and vendors will address seamless, secure auto-authentication on multiple operator networks.

The two organizations will coordinate on testing methodologies and models, and will share information about their respective specifications and technologies to ensure that the programs are aligned. Members from the groups will also collaborate on the brand identity for hotspots implementing the solutions, enabling end users to easily identify products and hotspots based on the advanced specifications.

"Working together to harmonize these two programs helps ensure that there will be a complete solution to evolve the user experience in Wi-Fi hotspots around the world," said Edgar Figueroa, CEO of the Wi-Fi Alliance. "The Wi-Fi Alliance's work to bring streamlined access and WPA2™ security to hotspot environments is well complemented by the work in WBA to enable seamless Wi-Fi roaming."

"With the number of hotspots growing worldwide, and the increasing importance of Wi-Fi to service providers' strategies, this is a crucial time for our organizations to work together," said Shrikant Shenwai, CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance. "WBA's Next Generation Hotspot program aims to deliver a seamless Wi-Fi user experience across operators globally, and the cooperation with Wi-Fi Alliance will maximize the benefits of innovation for end users, manufacturers and service providers."

About the Wi-Fi Alliance
http://www.wi-fi.org/
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to the proliferation of Wi-Fi technology across devices and market segments. 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 10,000 product certifications to date, 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.

About the Wireless Broadband Alliance
http://www.wballiance.com/
The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) was established in 2003 by a group of visionary operators as a global forum for wireless broadband ecosystem. Its founders and current membership includes mobile, broadband and integrated operators who view Wi-Fi as a strategic complement to other networks such as 3G/UMTS, WiMAX, DSL, Cable, and more.

The mission of WBA is to facilitate adoption of Wi-Fi enabled services through improvements in user experience, interoperability and service delivery across technologies, devices and networks. By leveraging its unique membership mix and strong operator heritage, WBA seeks to engage the ecosystem for enabling a seamless Wi-Fi experience for the benefit of the end-users. The WBA has developed a range of technical enablers and commercial frameworks, including the award-winning WRiX (Wireless Roaming Intermediary Exchange), WISPr 2.0 (enhancements to the Wi-Fi roaming best practices available publicly) amongst others. These have been instrumental in driving global Wi-Fi roaming. The leading operators and roaming providers have adopted these to successfully deliver a consistent Wi-Fi roaming experience and to reduce implementation time and effort. These enablers are being adopted by wider ecosystem to integrate Wi-Fi across technologies for 3G to Wi-Fi offload and WiMAX-Wi-Fi interworking opportunities. The WBA actively collaborates with other industry forums to enhance and harmonise wireless broadband roaming standards.

The members of the WBA include an influential group of 57 leading wireless broadband industry players from around the world. Together, the operator members of WBA own a global footprint of 220,000 hotpots, spanning key markets, cities and locations across Europe, Asia Pacific and Americas, with a pool of above 350 million subscribers. The current Board members of WBA include AT&T, BT, Boingo, Cisco, Deutsche Telekom, KT, Orange France, True Internet and TMN/Portugal Telecom.

Follow Wi-Fi Alliance on Twitter: twitter.com/wifialliance
Wi-Fi Alliance News RSS Feed: http://www.wi-fi.org/newsroom_rss.php

Follow Wireless Broadband Alliance on Twitter: twitter.com/#!/wballiance
Wireless Broadband Alliance News RSS Feed: www.wballiance.com/newsroom/featured-news.html

Wi-Fi Alliance Contacts:
Karl Stetson
Edelman USA for Wi-Fi Alliance
+1-206-268-2215
karl.stetson@edelman.com

Matthew Whalley 
Edelman London for Wi-Fi Alliance
+44 (0)20 3047 2325
matthew.whalley@edelman.com

Sandrine Cormary
Edelman France for Wi-Fi Alliance
+33 (0)1 56 69 73 86
sandrine.cormary@edelman.com

Wireless Broadband Alliance Contacts:
Martin Dyan
Fishburn Hedges for Wireless Broadband Alliance
+44 207 544 3021
martin.dyan@fishburn-hedges.co.uk

Charlie Howard
Fishburn Hedges for Wireless Broadband Alliance
+44 207 544 3037
charlie.howard@fishburn-hedges.co.uk

AUSTIN, TX, May 31, 2011 - At the recent Connected Home Global Summit in London, England, the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct program from the Wi-Fi Alliance® received top honors in the Best Contribution to Interconnectivity Standards. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct™ is a certification designation given to products that are capable of device-to-device connections without the presence of a traditional home, office or hotspot network.

"We are proud to be recognized for this important contribution to device connectivity," said Kelly Davis-Felner, marketing director of the Wi-Fi Alliance. "Wi-Fi Alliance member companies collaborate to create dynamic and powerful Wi-Fi solutions to improve the usefulness of Wi-Fi in our content-rich world. Wi-Fi Direct is a great example of how Wi-Fi® continues to evolve in support of advanced digital home applications."

Wi-Fi Direct connectivity meets an important consumer need for users to enjoy seamless device connectivity, both at home and on the go. Wi-Fi Direct-certified devices can connect with legacy Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ devices, making the new technology instantly useful in connecting to products already in consumers' homes. Data transmissions between Wi-Fi Direct devices are always protected with WPA2™ security protections, and the process of getting connected is made simple with Wi-Fi Protected Setup™, another Wi-Fi Alliance innovation.

Wi-Fi Direct-certified products are making a strong market entry in the digital home category. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct designation has been given to products ranging from core technology silicon to popular consumer electronics such as HD televisions, Blu-Ray players, home theater systems and smartphones. In-Stat, a division of NPD group, recently announced a forecast of 173 million Wi-Fi Direct devices to ship in 2011 - a statistic representing close to one of every five Wi-Fi devices shipped worldwide this year.

"The technology behind Wi-Fi Direct presents an incredibly compelling solution for digital home applications," said Brian O'Rourke, Research Director of In-Stat. "As application developers define new solutions to run over Wi-Fi Direct connections, we expect to see a very strong adoption curve over the coming years."

More information including a current list of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct products, the technical specification, white papers and more, is available at www.wi-fi.org/Wi-Fi_Direct.php.

About the Wi-Fi Alliance
http://www.wi-fi.org/
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to the proliferation of Wi-Fi technology across devices and market segments. 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 10,000 product certifications to date, 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.

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/wifialliance
Wi-Fi Alliance News RSS Feed: http://www.wi-fi.org/newsroom_rss.php

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

AUSTIN, TX, May 17, 2011 - Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., LG Electronics, Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. have become Sponsor members of the Wi-Fi Alliance, and each has appointed a Director to the organization's Board. The technology leaders join Apple, Atheros, Broadcom, Cisco, Comcast, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola Solutions, Nokia, Sony Corporation, T-Mobile and Texas Instruments as Sponsor members of the nearly 400-member Wi-Fi Alliance.

"Our Sponsor membership represents a strong cross-section of the industry - from makers of consumer goods and networking equipment, to service providers and appliance manufacturers," said Edgar Figueroa, CEO of the Wi-Fi Alliance. "Adding Huawei, LG and Samsung to our Sponsor member roster helps us keep pace of where the industry is going and continue to deliver the best user experience on Wi-Fi® devices."

The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global industry group of service providers, equipment makers and software companies, devoted to the proliferation of Wi-Fi technology. Its Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ product logo and testing program was launched in March 2000 and provides a widely-recognized seal of interoperability and security, designating products with the best user experience. The Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 10,000 product certifications.

 "Wi-Fi is a crucial part of our strategy to provide customers network access whenever they need it," said Dr. Wen Tong, wireless CTO of Huawei North America. "Wi-Fi technology is taking center stage as a network access technology. We are committed to support the Wi-Fi Alliance certification programs and are excited to help lead the organization toward continued fulfillment of its mission."

"Wi-Fi technology is a critical feature in many of the popular products we develop and our Wi-Fi product portfolio continues to expand," said Dr. Byoung-Hoon Kim, research fellow (VP) of LG Electronics. "The Wi-Fi Alliance provides a very important collaborative environment for the future of the technology so we are pleased to be able to increase our contribution to the organization's objectives."

"With Wi-Fi technology in our appliances, consumer electronics, handsets and more, the user experience is paramount," said Joonho Park, Ph.D., senior vice president and head of Standards and Technology Enabling Team, Samsung Electronics. "The interoperability assurance provided by Wi-Fi CERTIFIED is a critical ingredient in Wi-Fi technology's usefulness for our customers worldwide, and we are pleased to invest more significantly in the organization that drives a continued benchmark of quality."

New Directors joining the Wi-Fi Alliance Board are:

• Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.: Dr. Wen Tong, Wireless CTO, N.A. and Dr. Peiying Zhu, Senior Director, Wireless Research and Standards
• LG Electronics Inc.: Dr. Byoung-Hoon Kim, Research Fellow (VP), and Mr. Jae-Hyung Song, Senior Research Engineer
• Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.: Joonho Park, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Head of Standards and Technology Enabling Team, and Rakesh Taori, Director, Standards and Technology Enabling Team

The new Sponsor members are active participants in the Wi-Fi Alliance and the Directors are active in the Board effective immediately.

About Huawei
http://www.huawei.com/
Huawei is a leading telecoms solutions provider serving 45 of the world's top 50 telecom operators. Huawei's products and solutions have been deployed in over 100 countries and support the communications needs of one third of the world's population. The company is committed to providing innovative and customized products, services and solutions to create long-term value and growth potential for its customers. Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/huaweipress and YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/HuaweiPress.

About LG Electronics, Inc.
http://www.lg.com/
LG Electronics, Inc. (KSE: 066570.KS) is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances, employing more than 93,000 people working in over 120 operations around the world. With 2010 global sales of KRW 55.8 trillion (USD 48.2 billion), LG comprises four business units - Home Entertainment, Mobile Communications, Home Appliance, and Air Conditioning & Energy Solutions. LG is one of the world's leading producers of flat panel TVs, mobile devices, air conditioners, washing machines and refrigerators.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
http://www.samsung.com/
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2010 consolidated sales of US$135.8 billion. Employing approximately 190,500 people in 206 offices across 68 countries, the company consists of eight independently operated business units: Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, Digital Imaging, Semiconductor and LCD. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, semiconductor chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs.

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

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.

Follow us on Twitter:
twitter.com/wifialliance

Wi-Fi Alliance News RSS Feed
http://www.wi-fi.org/newsroom_rss.php

Contacts:
Karl Stetson
Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance
karl.stetson@edelman.com
+1-206-268-2215

Jannie Luong
Public Relations Manager, Huawei
jannie.luong@huawei.com
+1-214-919-6438

Ken Hong
LG Electronics, Inc.
ken.hong@lge.com
+82 2 3777 3636

John Godfrey
Samsung Electronics
john.godfrey@samsung.com
+1-202-887-5667

AUSTIN, TX, April 27, 2011 - More than 10,000 Wi-Fi CERTIFIED designations have been granted by the Wi-Fi Alliance®, the global, non-profit trade association at the center of the Wi-Fi® industry. Millions of Wi-Fi devices on the market today offer the latest features and security protections, as well as the ability to interoperate across brands, as a result of the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED program.

Worldwide demand for interoperable, security-protected Wi-Fi products has grown since the program's introduction in March 2000. The rate of product certifications has risen exponentially over the program's lifetime, reflecting the importance of Wi-Fi technology in today's connected world. While it took eight years to reach the 5,000-certification milestone, more than 2,000 certifications were given in 2010 alone.

"We are incredibly proud of the real impact and value of our Wi-Fi CERTIFIED program," said Edgar Figueroa, CEO of the Wi-Fi Alliance. "Wi-Fi technology was in its infancy just ten years ago. Today Wi-Fi is increasingly enabling new products, new applications and new markets that extend our connectivity and enrich our experience. Wi-Fi certification will remain a fundamental part of our connected experience since we continue to develop numerous new capabilities and applications for Wi-Fi."

Manufacturers are certifying and shipping more Wi-Fi devices than ever before to meet demand. ABI Research has reported that annual Wi-Fi shipments grew to 761 million products in 2010 and that the number will reach one billion by the end of 2011. Wi-Fi Alliance certifications grew 62 percent in 2010, the largest year-over-year growth in the history of the program.

The fastest-growing Wi-Fi CERTIFIED product categories were mobile phones and consumer electronics - such as TVs, tablets and gaming devices - which together account for more than half of all certifications. Fittingly, the 10,000th certification was for a LED-LCD TV with Wi-Fi Direct™ and Wi-Fi Protected Setup™. The growth trend in certifications is expected to continue as Wi-Fi technology reaches beyond consumer electronics, mobile devices and computing to have a stronger presence in industrial, smart energy, healthcare, automotive and other categories.

"Wi-Fi continues to add value across a wide range of product categories. Easier setup and configuration, has enabled the technology to quickly move to the mainstream," said Victoria Fodale, senior analyst - mobile devices, ABI Research. "Today Wi-Fi can be found in businesses, homes and cities throughout the world, and Wi-Fi certification has been a fundamental enabler of that success story."

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED devices have passed rigorous tests for interoperability across brands and between legacy generations of Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi certification also mandates support for Wi-Fi Protected Access® 2 (WPA2™) - the latest and most advanced form of Wi-Fi security. The program helps ensure a good user experience and helps manufacturers and service providers decrease support costs by implementing industry-wide, trusted and tested technology solutions. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED testing is performed at a worldwide network of 14 independent Authorized Test Laboratories located in China, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, Spain, Taiwan and the United States.

A full listing of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products can be found at http://www.wi-fi.org/search_products.php

About the Wi-Fi Alliance
http://www.wi-fi.org/
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to the proliferation of Wi-Fi technology across devices and market segments. 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 10,000 product certifications to date, 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™ and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance.

Follow us on Twitter:
twitter.com/wifialliance

Wi-Fi Alliance News RSS Feed:
http://www.wi-fi.org/newsroom_rss.php

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

Austin, TX and Beaverton, Ore. - February 22, 2011 - The Wi-Fi Alliance and Continua Health Alliance have entered into an agreement to facilitate and promote the adoption of Wi-Fi networking technology in connected health applications. The agreement enables cooperative efforts for joint technical review of Wi-Fi Alliance and Continua Health Alliance specifications and guidelines in order to facilitate interoperability of personal health and fitness applications, thus fueling a great user experience and even faster adoption.

The agreement comes as Wi-Fi technology becomes standard in hospitals, doctor's offices and healthcare facilities. Wi-Fi is increasingly being used to connect patient monitoring devices, home healthcare tools and more. Health-related products from companies such as Draeger, Healthsense and Roche have already achieved the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ designation. The Wi-Fi Alliance has a formal work initiative underway to explore additional certification needs for Wi-Fi across a variety of personal and clinical health care use cases.

"The health care industry has truly embraced Wi-Fi technology, which has resulted in improved patient relations, cost savings and organizational efficiencies," said Wi-Fi Alliance CEO, Edgar Figueroa. "Our collaboration with Continua Health Alliance will help drive the advancement and evolution of Wi-Fi, by providing a known and trusted technology to connect health and fitness devices."

Wi-Fi technology has key attributes which make it an excellent choice to connect personal health devices. Wi-Fi provides whole-home coverage, IP-based communications, industry-standard security protections with push-button setup, and advanced power management mechanisms. With the addition of Wi-Fi Direct™, there will be new ways devices can also connect even when there is no Wi-Fi network available.

"Given its ubiquity in the home, Wi-Fi will play a key role in empowering individuals to better manage their fitness and health," said Chuck Parker, executive director, Continua Health Alliance. "Creating and implementing cost-effective personal connected healthcare technologies that work together to enable individuals to be proactive about their healthcare requires a rich marketplace of interoperable health devices and services. Working with the base that the Wi-Fi Alliance has established will help make that a reality."

Continua established a product certification program with a consumer-recognizable logo and released its first set of design guidelines in January of 2009, signifying the promise of interoperability across certified products. The testing program provides assurance that Continua CertifiedTM products will work together and have demonstrated a capability to connect in a rigorous testing environment. Products that carry the Continua Certified logo are ‘future-proofed' so they are easy to use and re-use, less labor-intensive, free of inefficient technology duplication, and will not become prematurely obsolete as vendors change models. Continua has certified many products to date and expects to certify many more in the coming months. To see a list of these, visit the Continua website.

The Wi-Fi Alliance launched the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED program 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. All Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products implement the latest in security technology - Wi-Fi Protected Access® 2 (WPA2™). The Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 9,500 product certifications, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services in new and established markets.

About the Wi-Fi Alliance
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to the proliferation of Wi-Fi technology across devices and market segments. With technology development, market building, and regulatory programs, the Wi-Fi Alliance has enabled widespread adoption of Wi-Fi worldwide. Learn more and search for Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ products at http://www.wi-fi.org/.

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™, and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance.

About Continua Health Alliance
Continua Health Alliance is a non-profit, open industry organization of healthcare and technology companies joining together in collaboration to improve the quality of personal healthcare. With more than 240 member companies around the world, Continua is dedicated to establishing a system of interoperable personal connected health solutions with the knowledge that extending those solutions into the home fosters independence, empowers individuals and provides the opportunity for truly personalized health and wellness management. For more information visit: http://www.continuaalliance.org/.

Continua Health Alliance and Wi-Fi are registered trademarks of their respective organizations.

AUSTIN, TX, January 6, 2011 - A new poll conducted by Wakefield Research in conjunction with the Wi-Fi Alliance® shows that while consumers'  high hopes for certain futuristic technologies have not yet come to fruition, they have embraced other technologies they never anticipated would become commonplace, such as Wi-Fi®.  The poll results show that consumer appetite for Wi-Fi-enabled gadgets has expanded in the last two years, and new analyst reports indicate sales momentum is expected to continue over the next several years.

"Wi-Fi technology unleashes our imagination, and we have only begun to see the countless ways in which it will evolve," said Edgar Figueroa, CEO of the Wi-Fi Alliance.  "Our industry continues to innovate to keep pace with the connectivity requirements of a wide range of applications, and consequently the next few years will see significant expansions in Wi-Fi performance capabilities and ease of use."

Two-year consumer preference tracking data from the Wi-Fi Alliance poll illustrates growing demand for Wi-Fi technology in a variety of devices. Sixty-two percent of respondents said they will make sure their next cell phone is Wi-Fi-enabled - up from 43 percent in December 2008. Sixty-five percent of the poll respondents said it is likely they'll seek Wi-Fi capability in every tech item they buy in 2011.

Shipment volume of Wi-Fi devices is further evidence of the growth in consumer demand. ABI Research reports that in 2010, Wi-Fi shipments grew to 761 million products - a 29 percent increase from 2009. Growth in Wi-Fi-enabled products is also reflected in the continued increase of Wi-Fi device certifications.  In 2010, the highest-volume year ever for Wi-Fi Alliance certifications, 62 percent more devices were Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ than in 2009.

"Devices such as cellular handsets, netbooks, TVs and portable music players saw the largest increase in Wi-Fi technology inclusion in 2010," said Philip Solis, research director for mobile devices at ABI Research. "We estimate that Wi-Fi device shipments will continue to rise globally, surpassing two billion by 2015."

No flying cars yet, but Wi-Fi delivers a future many couldn't imagine
The Wakefield Research / Wi-Fi Alliance poll also examined how today's technology reality meets their earlier expectations of the future.  After childhoods spent watching The Jetsons, Star Wars, and Star Trek, 76 percent of consumers thought technology like flying cars, robot butlers, and holographic communication would be widely available by now.  Although those conveniences haven't yet arrived, technology has come a long way.

Notably, 29 percent of respondents didn't anticipate Wi-Fi technology becoming as ubiquitous as it is today, yet Wi-Fi has been integral in giving birth to many far-reaching innovations:

• Cars remain grounded for now, but automotive Wi-Fi technology allows drivers to view a vehicle's diagnostics from a smartphone and sync their home music library with the car's media player
• Wi-Fi video conferencing allows people to communicate face-to-face - even from opposite sides of the world - at least until holographic communication and transporter beams arrive
• To the disappointment of 66 percent of respondents, robot butlers aren't yet available, but Wi-Fi technology makes it possible for homeowners to control thermostats and appliances or monitor security systems while away from home
• Health care monitoring devices enabled with Wi-Fi can send patient information to a remote provider monitoring system, allowing for direct, real-time connectivity between patients and health care professionals

Wi-Fi technology continues to evolve to meet user needs for the future. Wi-Fi Alliance recently launched Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Wi-Fi Direct™, a certification program for device-to-device communication without a wireless network or access point. And now the Wi-Fi industry has its sights set on increasing Wi-Fi throughput and range, with upcoming certification programs for Wi-Fi in the 60 GHz frequency band and with Very High Throughput (VHT) Wi-Fi in 5 GHz. The Wi-Fi Alliance also continues work addressing enterprise manageability and improved ease of use at home and in public hotspots.

"Wi-Fi has become an important part of people's connected lives over the last ten years, and our industry is not standing still," continued Figueroa. "2011 will be a year of important progress in Wi-Fi technologies that will shape the future of consumer and enterprise electronics."

For more information about Wi-Fi Direct™ or Wi-Fi technology, visit http://www.wi-fi.org/.

Methodological note: The study was conducted among 1,054 Americans ages 18+. The interviews were conducted by Wakefield Research between December 10th and December 16th, 2010. Quotas were set to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the total U.S. population aged 18 and older. Survey results have a margin of error of 3.02%

About the Wi-Fi Alliance
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to the proliferation of Wi-Fi technology across devices and market segments. 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 9,000 product certifications to date, 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™, and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance.

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

AUSTIN, TX - December 20, 2010 -- A recent white paper authored by the General Electric Company comparing the power efficiency of Wi-Fi and ZigBee technologies in home Smart Grid applications is flawed, resulting in inaccurate findings.

The report, released on December 9, 2010 and titled, "Energy Efficiency Comparisons of Wireless Communication Technology Options for Smart Grid Enabled Devices" compares Wi-Fi and ZigBee in home Smart Grid applications, focusing on power consumption as the primary evaluation criterion.  The report bases its conclusion on measurements of a single implementation each of ZigBee and Wi-Fi, using Smart Energy Profile 1.0. 

The evaluation was based on old technology and tested only one implementation.
The evaluation that formed the basis for the conclusions in the paper was conducted using ZigBee Smart Energy Profile 1.0, an older protocol which lacks key technical features, such as cyber security and IP communications, now specified by the federal government for Smart Grid use. 

Moreover, the single tested Wi-Fi implementation in the study is based on an 802.11b chip, based on ten-year-old Wi-Fi technology.  Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ technology based upon 802.11n will be very widely used in Smart Grid applications, and is already used in millions of households around the world.  In fact, Wi-Fi offers a range of technology options, including 802.11a, g and n, that suit the diverse range of Smart Grid applications, and none of these technologies was tested.

The study's design leads to inaccurate conclusions on power efficiency.
Because the evaluation was based on old technologies, its conclusions present an inaccurate characterization of the energy efficiency of both ZigBee and Wi-Fi technologies and cannot be used to draw generalized conclusions about the state of Smart Grid communications technology today.

Implementations of any technology using Smart Energy Profile 2.0 - the federally-specified implementation for the Smart Grid - will have increased power consumption compared with the version of the protocol which was tested, because of the additional data transmission requirements inherent in Smart Energy Profile 2.0.  It should be noted that 802.11n, the current generation of Wi-Fi technology, incorporates more efficient data transmission and more sophisticated power-saving mechanisms than 802.11b, and may perform better in an energy efficiency evaluation.  When evaluated using Smart Energy Profile 2.0 the differences in energy consumption between Wi-Fi and ZigBee could be much smaller. 

The study's limited scope excluded important criteria in which Wi-Fi has key strengths.
A recent and significantly more comprehensive Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) study, available at www.aham.org/smartgrid, concludes with a leading ranking for Wi-Fi as the communications protocol technology of choice in smart home appliance applications because of its range and throughput benefits, power management, established certification ecosystem, significant installed base, and more. 

Already the network of choice in an estimated 201 million households worldwide1, Wi-Fi brings a variety of features unmatched by other technologies, including whole-home coverage, IP-based communications, industry-standard security protections, and advanced power management mechanisms that meet the federally-specified requirements of smart energy applications. 

About the Wi-Fi Alliance
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to the proliferation of Wi-Fi technology across devices and market segments. 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 8,500 product certifications to date, 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™, and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance.

Contact:

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

1Parks Associates, "Networks in the Home: Global Growth; A Report for the Wi-Fi Alliance".