With the first quarter of 2023 coming to an end, we thought it would be a great time to catch up with WBA member Cloud4Wi for an update on the year so far and what’s still to come. We sat down with CEO and Co-Founder Andrea Calcagno for a brief interview.

Can you please introduce yourself and give us a brief overview of Cloud4Wi?

My name is Andrea Calcagno, and I am the current CEO and co-founder of Cloud4Wi.

I have over 20 years of experience in the wireless tech industry and ecosystem. I’ve been recognized for my entrepreneurial and leadership skills by various organizations and publications, and I am part of Endeavor Global, a nonprofit organization that supports high-impact entrepreneurs around the world. I started my career at Telecom Italia Labs in Turin, where I performed advanced research and development activities on mobile access networks, receiving international patents on mobile broadband architectures.

Cloud4Wi helps enterprises unlock the power of physical locations. With our cloud platform, enterprises can offer a seamless, secure Wi-Fi access and unleash innovative location-aware experiences, while driving business outcomes – without any additional workload for IT staff. With over 150 million mobile users connected across 70,000 locations in more than 150 countries, Cloud4Wi is the trusted partner of leading global enterprises –including Adidas, Albertsons, Aldi, Burger King, Campari Group, Carmila (Carrefour Group), Guess, Gruppo FS Italiane, Prada Group, Puma, Raia Drogasil and Valentino.

 With Q1 of 2023 coming to an end, how has the year been going so far for Cloud4Wi?

2023 is a super exciting year at Cloud4Wi. Q1 is showing tremendous growth in terms of booking and revenue with the support of our existing and new clients. We see a booking record for the company, and the Passpoint / WBA OpenRoaming component plays a big role in the key project. We expect to have relevant growth in the next months, and we are sure that our proposition and business action can accelerate the adoption of Passpoint among large enterprises – leveraging the WBA OpenRoaming initiative too.

A recent issue of Pipeline Magazine featured an article from Cloud4Wi CTO and Co-Founder Davide Quadrini that included some discussion on WBA OpenRoaming. What benefits has OpenRoaming provided to Cloud4Wi – any particular examples or deployments?

Cloud4Wi provides a solution that is compliant with Wi-Fi CERTIFIED Passpoint and the WBA industry-standard framework for WBA OpenRoaming.

Cloud4Wi plays as Wi-Fi Network Aggregator, enabling companies to automatically connect all users that have a device provisioned via a third-party WBA OpenRoaming IDP as soon as they arrive at their locations. Plus, by leveraging Cloud4Wi’s IDP as a service companies can distribute their own profile to users –with or without mobile app– through a tailored onboarding experience, so that they can access over 1 million Wi-Fi networks across the globe.

A better Wi-Fi onboarding experience means an increase in the Wi-Fi adoption rate. This way companies can collect more customer location data with a 100% consent-based approach, and craft compelling location-aware experiences.

A leading grocery brand in the USA with more than 2,600 stores –we cannot disclose the name– is adopting Passpoint and WBA OpenRoaming to offer Wi-Fi connectivity inside their stores and empower in-store app experiences – by customizing the mobile app content/services based on the store that the customer is visiting.

Cloud4Wi is also working on a national project with the Minister of Tourism in Italy that is releasing a mobile app for tourists –called Italy.it – that will integrate our mobile SDK to accelerate Wi-Fi connectivity services based on WBA OpenRoaming, as well as geofencing services.

Are there any future initiatives coming up for Cloud4Wi that OpenRoaming will play a key role in?

Embracing the possibilities of the WBA OpenRoaming framework, we have set out to explore the many industries and use cases that could benefit from its game-changing capabilities. Our vision extends beyond simply providing better Wi-Fi connectivity – we have pinpointed a potentially lucrative market in the realm of IoT and mobile app development.  The current expansion of the OpenRoaming framework and the enthusiastic support of mobile device titans such as Apple mean that the future of Wi-Fi connectivity is looking very bright indeed.

 Why would you recommend joining the OpenRoaming federation – and the WBA in general – to other companies in the industry?

We totally recommend joining the OpenRoaming federation – and the WBA in general. Companies gain access to a plethora of benefits that are exclusive to this network.

Specifically, joining the OpenRoaming federation companies can:

  • Be sure that their Wi-Fi network will be interoperable with other networks that are also part of the federation. This means that users will be able to seamlessly connect to the company’s network without having to enter login credentials or download a separate app.
  • Offer a more seamless Wi-Fi experience to their users. This can lead to increased user engagement and loyalty, as users are more likely to use a network that is easy to access and doesn’t require a lot of setup.
  • Protect users from threats such as rogue hotspots and man-in-the-middle attacks. By joining the federation, the company’s network will be able to benefit from these security measures.

Furthermore, by joining the WBA and the OpenRoaming federation, companies will be part of a leading industry organization that is focused on advancing the adoption and deployment of wireless broadband technologies. This can provide companies with access to industry expertise, networking opportunities, and other resources that can help them stay ahead of the game.

Visit Cloud4Wi’s official website to learn more about the company.