How Identity Providers and Access Network Providers Power the Future of Wireless Connectivity

The internet was originally designed to connect distant computers. Over time, it evolved into a global network that connects billions of people, devices, and services. Yet despite this growth, the way we access wireless networks has remained surprisingly fragmented. Users still log in repeatedly, networks still operate in silos, and roaming across Wi Fi networks rarely feels as seamless as cellular connectivity.

The Wireless Broadband Alliance OpenRoaming initiative was created to change this. It introduces a federation based model for Wi Fi access that allows devices to connect automatically and securely across networks worldwide. At the center of this system are two critical roles: the Identity Provider and the Access Network Provider. Understanding how these work together is key to understanding where wireless connectivity is heading and why Uplink’s role in this ecosystem is significant.

Identity and Access in a Federated Internet

In a federated wireless system, users do not authenticate directly with every network they encounter. Instead, trust is shared across a group of independent participants who agree on common technical and legal standards. This group is known as a federation.

The Wireless Broadband Alliance serves as the governing body for the OpenRoaming federation. While the WBA itself is an industry association, OpenRoaming is the operational framework it manages. The WBA defines the trust model, issues cryptographic certificates, and ensures that all participants follow the same rules so devices can roam safely and automatically across networks.

Within this federation, the Identity Provider and the Access Network Provider play distinct but complementary roles.

What Is an Identity Provider (IDP)?

An Identity Provider is responsible for managing and verifying a user’s digital identity. In practical terms, an IDP issues secure credentials that allow a device to prove who the user is without exposing personal information or requiring manual authentication.

When a device attempts to connect to an OpenRoaming-enabled network, the Identity Provider confirms that the credentials are valid and that the user is authorized to access the service. This process happens automatically in the background, removing friction while maintaining security.

Identity Providers can take many forms. Mobile network operators, device manufacturers, and companies with large user bases or loyalty programs are all capable of acting as IDPs. What they have in common is the ability to issue trusted credentials at scale.

What Is an Access Network Provider (ANP)?

An Access Network Provider owns or operates the physical Wi-Fi infrastructure. This can include routers in airports, hotels, universities, retail locations, city centers, or any venue offering public or semi-public connectivity.

The ANP broadcasts the Wi-Fi signal and agrees to accept trusted identities issued by Identity Providers within the same federation. Rather than maintaining direct relationships with every IDP, the ANP relies on shared standards and governance to determine who can connect.

This separation of identity from infrastructure is what allows OpenRoaming to scale globally. Networks can expand without custom integrations, and users can connect without repeated onboarding.

How Organizations Participate in OpenRoaming

Joining the OpenRoaming ecosystem requires both technical and administrative readiness. Networks must support Passpoint to enable automated discovery and RadSec to secure authentication traffic. Participants must obtain WBA-issued certificates and register a unique organizational identity within the federation.

From an operational perspective, Access Network Providers configure their infrastructure to advertise OpenRoaming support, while Identity Providers distribute secure profiles to user devices, often through apps or operating system integrations.

Once these pieces are in place, connectivity becomes automatic. Devices authenticate themselves, networks validate access, and users stay connected without interruption.

Why Uplink’s Dual Certification (IDP + ANP) Matters

Uplink is both Identity Provider and Access Network Provider certified by the Wireless Broadband Alliance. This means Uplink can participate in the federation on both sides of the connection.

On the identity side, Uplink is building toward issuing Passpoint profiles, enabling users to access OpenRoaming-enabled networks seamlessly. On the infrastructure side, Uplink can act as an Access Network Provider, enabling verified routers within its ecosystem to broadcast OpenRoaming support and forward authentication requests through the federation.

Uplink was the first DePIN to achieve this dual certification. This milestone reflects not just technical capability, but alignment with the standards and governance required to operate at enterprise scale.

From Federated Access to Wi-Fi Offloading and Enterprise Demand

Federated identity and access are also the missing link in large-scale Wi-Fi offloading. As mobile data usage continues to surge, enterprises and telecom operators are under pressure to reduce congestion on cellular networks while maintaining performance and reliability.

Wi-Fi has always been part of the solution, but fragmentation has limited its effectiveness. Without a shared trust layer, enterprises have struggled to offload traffic across third-party infrastructure at scale.

OpenRoaming and Uplink changes this equation. When identity and access are standardized globally, enterprises can route data dynamically across trusted Wi-Fi networks without managing individual integrations. Devices authenticate automatically, policies are enforced consistently, and connectivity becomes location-aware.

Uplink is building toward this future. By combining decentralized infrastructure participation with OpenRoaming standards, Uplink helps enterprises tap into existing connectivity supply while creating incentives for contributors to provide coverage where demand exists.

The long-term goal is to match real enterprise demand with real-world connectivity capacity, using open standards and decentralized coordination. IDP and ANP certification were prerequisites for that vision.

How It All Comes Together

Picture a user entering a space covered by a Uplink-verified router. Their device already has a secure identity. The router advertises that it supports OpenRoaming. An authentication request is securely routed through the federation, verified by the Identity Provider, and approved in real time.

The user connects automatically. No passwords. No portals. No friction.

At scale, this same flow enables enterprises to offload traffic across thousands or millions of access points, using infrastructure they do not own but can trust. This is the technical foundation for a more resilient, global internet.

What This Means for the Ecosystem Today

Today, OpenRoaming is already live in airports, hotels, campuses, and public spaces with over 3.5 Million hotspots around the world. Enterprises and mobile operators are increasingly looking to Wi Fi offloading and federated access to handle growing data demand and improve user experience.

Uplink’s position as both an IDP and ANP allows it to participate directly in this ecosystem while building toward something broader. As the platform evolves, it enables existing infrastructure to become part of a global connectivity layer without requiring new hardware or proprietary systems.

The internet has always been a network of networks. What has been missing is a way to coordinate them seamlessly at scale. Federated identity and access provide the foundation. Decentralized coordination provides the reach.

Uplink is building toward a future where every compatible router, current or future, can participate in a truly global internet. One that works automatically, securely, and inclusively, using the infrastructure we already have.

That future is no longer theoretical. It is actively taking shape.