As he transitions from his role as Chairman, Derek Peterson reflects on the progress of OpenRoaming®, the power of industry collaboration and the opportunities ahead for seamless connectivity.

For Derek Peterson, the future of wireless connectivity comes back to a simple principle: people want to stay connected without having to think about the network behind their experience.

Reflecting on his time with the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) during WGC EMEA Vienna, Derek highlighted the achievements that have shaped his journey and the work still ahead. From advancing OpenRoaming to bringing connectivity into cities, his reflections underline the importance of turning industry collaboration into practical outcomes.

Advancing OpenRoaming and Passpoint

Looking back over more than a decade of involvement with WBA, Derek identified the development of OpenRoaming and the expansion of Passpoint as achievements he is particularly proud of.

“Probably one of the best things that we’ve done is we’ve really moved forward with OpenRoaming,” he said.

For Derek, that progress represents an important foundation for the future. Building on the early work around Passpoint, OpenRoaming has created opportunities to extend seamless connectivity into more locations and environments.

“I think it has opportunities to grow and I’m excited to see it grow in the future.”

His reflections capture both pride in what the WBA community has achieved and enthusiasm for the next stage of adoption.

Bringing Connected Cities to Life

One of Derek’s most memorable experiences was seeing the ambitions behind WBA’s Connected Cities Forum reflected in deployments in Japan.

Recalling a visit to Tokyo in January, he described the significance of seeing Wi-Fi connectivity available across the area and expanding into other locations. For him, it demonstrated how bringing cities together around a shared ambition can help translate ideas into practical improvements.

The Connected Cities Forum was established to encourage cities to pursue that vision. Seeing it take shape reinforced the opportunity to share experiences and encourage wider adoption.

Derek is looking forward to seeing further progress on his next visit to Tokyo, learning more about the benefits and encouraging other cities around the world to explore similar approaches.

Collaboration That Focuses on Solutions

Asked how WBA and the wider wireless industry have evolved, Derek pointed to growing collaboration between organisations, industries and standards bodies.

He described more organisations approaching WBA for guidance on how to address connectivity challenges, a development he connects to the Alliance’s practical focus.

“We’re focused on the solutions, not just the technology,” he explained.

That approach brings different perspectives together around a common objective: making connectivity work better for the people and organisations using it.

For Derek, continuing to build those relationships is central to WBA’s future. As connectivity increasingly spans different technologies and environments, collaboration will remain essential to delivering a consistent experience.

Making the Transitions Seamless

Looking ahead, Derek sees improving the user experience as one of the biggest opportunities for WBA and the wider industry.

“People just want to be connected; they’re not focused on the network.”

His message builds on the theme of his WGC EMEA Vienna presentation, No More Seams: The Story of Convergence. The ambition is to make transitions between Wi-Fi, cellular and satellite seamless, allowing people to remain connected as they move between networks.

Achieving that experience requires the industry to consider how technologies work together and how transitions affect the user. Derek sees WBA as an important place to advance that work, bringing the community together to address connectivity across domains.

A Continuing Commitment to the WBA Community

As he transitions from the Chairman role, Derek’s message to members is clear: his involvement and enthusiasm continue.

“I’m not gone, I’m still around,” he said. “But I appreciate all the time that I got to spend as chairman representing the organization.”

He also extended an invitation to organisations considering joining WBA, alongside encouragement for existing members to remain involved.

“We’ve got a lot to do to be able to bring about this connectivity across all domains.”

His reflections point to a shared opportunity for WBA’s next chapter: building on the progress of OpenRoaming, strengthening collaboration and making seamless connectivity available in more places.

Watch the full interview with Derek Peterson on WBA’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/vqxebdSA3MA