In this implementation of Passpoint, users are effectively still on the cellular network from their vantage point even though the data has been offloaded to the Wi-Fi network. Passpoint, as it is implemented today, allows cellular users to connect to Wi-Fi networks with credentials provided by the carrier to allow Wi-Fi Calling as well as offloading the user’s data to a Wi-Fi network without having user intervention to connect. What if there was an easier way? This is where Passpoint or HotSpot 2.0 comes in. That network will be remembered on your device the next time you join, but it was kind of a pain to get it set up the first time. You are now offloaded from the cellular network, but it was not very easy. If you are connecting your phone, what is the process? You have to go into the store, open your settings, find the network, join it and go through the authentication process. I am sure most of us have spent some time in a Starbucks as a customer and connected a phone or other device to the wireless. However, the process was cumbersome for users.
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This ‘offloading’ is exactly what the cellular providers have been looking for to help alleviate the growing number of devices on their networks and to free up spectrum and bandwidth. As these networks have grown in number and availability, users have begun offloading their cellular devices to these wireless LANs. The majority of stores, restaurants and public venues provide some sort of wireless network for guests and customers to connect to. The question became, how can cellular providers offload some of this load from their networks?įor the last 20 years or so, wireless LANs have become more prevalent in the marketplace.
Just as in wireless LANs, there is only so much spectrum that can be used by devices communicating wirelessly. There will be 16.8 billion cellular devices in the world by 2023 (Source: Statista).Īs the number of cellular devices grows, carriers have begun to have issues providing service to these devices.