What is OpenRoaming?

OpenRoaming is a groundbreaking Wi-Fi roaming initiative that was originally launched by Cisco in 2020 and is now operated by the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA). Its mission is to allow millions of people to connect effortlessly to billions of Wi-Fi hotspots around the world. OpenRoaming creates a roaming federation, a network model where separate network locations share resources through a central management framework, providing a global, automatic, and secure Wi-Fi experience.

OpenRoaming leverages Passpoint, an industry-wide standard for Wi-Fi access, to bring together identity providers (IDP) and access network providers (ANP) into an open roaming federation. According to ENEA, this initiative has quickly enabled “over 3 million Wi-Fi hotspots and counting” across the globe. The impact of OpenRoaming extends beyond consumers to benefit businesses and smart cities as well.

Passpoint is an equipment and identity management tool designed to make Wi-Fi as easy and seamless to use as cellular networks. While the concept was initially ahead of its time, it found real-world application with the launch of WBA OpenRoaming. Passpoint is crucial for enabling the seamless usability of OpenRoaming.

Key Features of OpenRoaming

Automatic connection to Wi-Fi: Uses a built-in framework and industry standards like Passpoint to enable automatic connectivity for users.

Secure access to internet: Employs state-of-the-art interconnection protocols based on WBA public key infrastructure to ensure secure connections across its family of networks and users.

Identity management: to ensure the right servers at the right time, all users on OpenRoaming have their own, unique identity to guarantee security.

Quality of service: Ensures a baseline of network availability and speed, with advanced tiers for users requiring higher performance.

Privacy: Adheres to stringent privacy policies (PII), protecting users' personal information to a golden standard.

Is OpenRoaming accessible everywhere?

OpenRoaming is rapidly expanding worldwide, making it a dominant tool in the connectivity ecosystem. With over 3 million access points, devices supporting OpenRoaming can access this network wherever it is available, benefiting both businesses and individuals. The continued development and interconnection of OpenRoaming-enabled devices are crucial for advancing this technology further, which is where Uplink comes in to upgrade this ecosystem.

Why is OpenRoaming important in building the Uplink ecosystem?

Uplink empowers members within the connectivity ecosystem, including ANPs and IDPs, by bridging them into a decentralized platform to solve internet connectivity issues. This expansive and scalable approach requires collaboration with industry leaders to build interoperable networks.

By providing solutions to large-scale connectivity problems, Uplink can quickly integrate more devices into its ecosystem, driving faster connectivity for all participants. Uplink enhances OpenRoaming by decentralizing its infrastructure, thereby improving accessibility, reducing costs, and increasing network resilience.

Uplink: Enhancing OpenRoaming Through Decentralization

Uplink is the ultimate solution for decentralized, OpenRoaming-enabled devices, transforming the connectivity landscape through several innovative features:

1. Incentivization and Cost Reductions: Token rewards incentivize individuals to deploy commoditized hardware where it's needed. These plug-and-play hardware options and deployment by individuals owning the property where they are distributed further simplifies the installation, deployment, and associated costs.
2. Limited Maintenance: Hardware warranties and increased network resilience through redundancy.
3. Web3 Automation: Blockchain technology coordinates participation and back-end processes for privacy and security.
4. Open Access and Global Reach: Anyone can build networks in parallel around the world.
5. Flexible Coverage & Payment Options: Individuals can solve their own coverage issues more easily and a pay-as-you-go model unlocks a multi-million dollar market for businesses.
6. Reduced Network Congestion: Wi-Fi offloading ensures optimal subscriber experience.
7. Utilizes Existing Infrastructure: Wi-Fi networks and CBRS private networks can link into the Uplink ecosystem through a neutral host model.
8. Federation of Multilateral Agreements: An aggregated model with cryptographic proof for accounts and blockchain for autonomous settlements to significantly reduce conflicts and bring a flexible charging model.

Conclusion

OpenRoaming represents a significant leap forward in global connectivity, making secure, seamless internet access a reality for consumers, businesses, and cities alike. By bridging networks and ensuring robust privacy and security standards, OpenRoaming is paving the way for a more interconnected and accessible future.

Ultimately, Uplink serves as the bridge for existing Wi-Fi and internet connectivity solutions, like the WBA OpenRoaming, empowering all participants within the ecosystem to connect and thrive.

Curious to learn more? Dive into the details and join the connectivity revolution with the WBA OpenRoaming, Uplink, and our partners. We invite everyone in the OpenRoaming and connectivity ecosystem into the Uplink Discord to join in on the discussion and make sure to subscribe to the Uplink newsletter for future updates.