• With WiFi SON, operators transform basic access points into managed WiFi hotspots with self-organizing capabilities.
  • WiFi SON gives carriers unprecedented control over their WiFi, and specifically Community WiFi networks, enabling delivery of cellular-like QoE across WiFi networks.

10 JULY 2018. MADRID – Today, Fontech, the technology arm of Fon and leader in WiFi software solutions, has announced the launch of WiFi SON (Self-organizing Networks). Its latest solution empowers operators to leverage their community WiFi deployments like never before, increasing offloading and delivering consistently positive Quality of Experience (QoE) to customers. In the context of unlimited 4G data plans and increasing data demand, this solution is essential for operators looking to WiFi to meet connectivity needs cost-effectively.

Leading global operators such as Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, and Telstra already use Fontech Community WiFi Solution to offer improved coverage and drive cost savings through offloading and supporting WiFi-first strategies. Now with WiFi SON, Fontech takes Community WiFi to the next level, delivering tools that empower operators to fully control their WiFi network performance, as well as ensure consistent, carrier-grade connectivity over WiFi instead of best-effort connections. The result will be WiFi deployments that facilitate increased offloading while allowing mobile users to always enjoy the best possible connection over WiFi by seamlessly steering them to the best performing access point (AP) and frequency band while on the move.

Fontech’s WiFi SON Solution promises to deliver next-generation WiFi today by giving operators full visibility of their WiFi networks and the ability to transform basic APs into managed WiFi hotspots with self-organizing capabilities without the need for heavy investment in WiFi infrastructure. With WiFi SON, operators can manage every WiFi AP, gain detailed real-time data on WiFi network performance, and optimize WiFi radio resources by intelligent SON functionalities.

Alex Puregger, CEO at Fon, commented “Up to 80% of mobile data traffic goes via WiFi so it is fundamental for operators to understand how customers use it and to ensure a good user experience. With 5G, the integration of WiFi will be crucial: WiFi will have to become part of operator-managed networks. What we have built over the last few years, and complemented by our recent acquisition of XCellAir, is an amazing technology that gives operators the chance to understand and manage WiFi. With Fontech WiFi SON, WiFi networks become very similar to mobile networks, from both a management and user experience perspective. Fontech WiFi SON makes WiFi 5G ready.”

At the heart of the solution is the WiFi SON cloud server, which automatically analyzes and manages radio resources from the network level down to individual hotspots from an intuitive, web-based dashboard. It features real-time monitoring and mapping, as well as mitigation of congestion, noise, and interference. This information is delivered from deployed CPEs to the cloud server via the WiFi SON thin agent which collects metrics from each CPE and forwards them on consuming minimal resources.

At the same time, the self-organizing network ensures subscribers are connected to the best available network through band and client steering, and channel load balancing across 2.4GHz & 5GHz spectrum. The WiFi SON cloud server also features a self-configuration and self-healing system for the immediate recognition and registering of new hotspots by the network, as well as adjustment to reduce the impact of hotspots that become inoperative. Finally, operators can define different access policies for different groups of APs and end users based on a variety of criteria through a simple policy manager, enabling full control over WiFi resources and subscriber access to them.

As with all of Fontech’s solutions, WiFi SON is CPE platform-agnostic. Not only does this ease the integration process for carriers, but it makes it unique within the market for operators looking to maximize the benefits of their Community WiFi deployments cost effectively.

About Fontech and Fon

Fontech, the technology arm of Fon, makes managing and operating WiFi smart and simple for operators and enterprises. Our portfolio of software-based solutions and team of experts empower our clients to deliver carrier-grade WiFi services in a secure, scalable, and uniquely flexible way, enabling an exceptional WiFi experience for their customers. We are the trusted WiFi software provider to top-tier global telcos and enterprises such as the Deutsche Telekom Group, SoftBank, Telstra, and Vodafone Group. More information at fontech.com

Fon is the global WiFi network. We pioneered residential WiFi sharing over a decade ago and, together with leading telcos, we’ve built the world’s largest WiFi community of over 21 million hotspots. We are experts in keeping people seamlessly connected by aggregating residential and prime public WiFi footprints, as well as facilitating interconnection between WiFi networks. Our global clients include AT&T, British Telecom, Eurona, KPN, Proximus, Travel Club, and Virgin Mobile. Discover more at fon.com