Introducing second wave Wi-Fi

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In the world of technology, a lot can change in just a few years, with new innovations emerging all the time. With users employing a growing number of devices to connect to the Internet while also demanding increasing speed and download capabilities, a lot has changed with the way wireless Internet connections are expected to function.

When the first Wi-Fi certified ac products came onto the scene two years ago, they implemented core features of the IEEE 802.11ac standard. While those products – known as "first wave" 11ac – used more spatial streams, wider channels and higher-density modulation triple the speed of comparable Wi-Fi certified 11n products, the necessary features to meet the standard's full potential of 7 Gbps were left out because the technology was still immature and there were a variety of engineering challenges that had to be overcome before moving forward.

With the rapid development of Internet capabilities and Wi-Fi engineering, the Wi-Fi Alliance has announced that it is currently evaluating features that can be added to the "second wave" 11ac products for an updated certification program that will be available in mid-2016.

The next wave of Wi-Fi products will greatly improve capacity and functionality.The next wave of Wi-Fi products will greatly improve capacity and functionality.

What will second wave Wi-Fi have to offer?
In an article for TechTarget, contributor Lisa Phifer noted that the first wave of 11ac products built off of the technology used in products on the IEEE 802.11n standard.

"The first wave of 11ac was built upon the same technologies used by 11n — most notably, multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antennas that transmit data along several spatial streams, optionally combined with double- or quadruple-wide channels to achieve faster data rates," wrote Phifer. "But unlike 11n, 11ac focuses exclusively on 5 GHz band transmission, leaving the congested 2.4 GHz band for use by older, less capable devices and other technologies, such as Bluetooth. Similarly, the second wave of 11ac will build upon the first wave features."

"Second wave Wi-Fi will double capacity and add support for 80 80 and 160 MHz channels."

Just as the first wave doubled the maximum channel width available at the time, second wave will double it again and add support for 80 80 and 160 MHz channels. The amount of spatial streams expected from access points will also grow, rising from three to four transmit and receive streams. While these changes may seem small, they have the potential for major improvements. The enhancements in the second wave Wi-Fi offer the possibility of quadruple the maximum data rates currently available under favorable conditions.

The other big difference with second wave Wi-Fi is the introduction of MU-MIMO (multi-user, multiple input output) technology. It offers the ability to dramatically increase the throughput of wireless networks and make a noticeable difference in dense, high capacity networks. Previous wireless standards like 11ac and 11n were able to improve data rates, but only for individual users. MU-MIMO, however, allows for multiple streams to be sent from access points to multiple users simultaneously, creating a greater impact across the network.

"Wi-Fi has always suffered from density and capacity issues, especially in the small and crowded 2.4GHz band," explained Network World contributor Eric Geier. "Using 802.11n or 802.11ac in the 5GHz band helps by providing many more channels and faster data rates. However, MU-MIMO helps even more as multiple devices can be served simultaneously. This leads to increased throughput, frees up more airtime, and allows access points to serve larger crowds of devices."

The first devices featuring second wave Wi-Fi and MU-MIMO are already starting to appear on the market, offering improved capacity for business-class access points and smartphones, as well as laptops and routers.

New survey finds clients willing to pay for stronger Wi-Fi

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For most people, it would be hard to go even a few hours without an Internet connection to power a laptop or mobile device. According to a new report, consumers worldwide are more eager than ever to have access to stronger, faster and easier-to-use Wi-Fi services. So eager, in fact, that they are willing to pay a premium to get them.

A recent survey conducted by IE Market Research found that Wi-Fi is more in demand than ever, and subscribers are even willing to relinquish some of their privacy to get a better client experience and personalized offers. The study, which included responses from more than 4,000 Wi-Fi clients in 11 countries, revealed some interesting, though perhaps not surprising, facts about consumer Wi-Fi use.

“Canadian and U.S. clients are willing to pay almost 10% more on average for broadband Internet with certain amenities.”

According to the report, the biggest pain points when it comes to Wi-FI service is coverage outside the house and poor connection speed. Consumers are ready to pay extra to receive carrier-grade services, with clients in Canada and the U.S. willing to pay almost 10 percent more on average for their broadband Internet if it includes service outside of the home and provides a high-connection speed, seamless connections across various endpoints and has automatic handoff to cellular networks.

Consumers are looking for an improved Wi-Fi experience.Consumers are looking for an improved Wi-Fi experience.

Stronger, more personalized Wi-Fi top priorities
So interested in stronger Wi-Fi connections are consumers that nearly 66 percent of those surveyed said they would consider replacing their cellphone plans with a Wi-Fi first offering. Kristin Dolan, chief operating officer of Cablevision, explained this growing trend by saying that cellular networks were built to carry voice, while Wi-Fi connections were meant to handle data. As consumers spend more time using the Internet on their phones and doing things other than make calls like watch video, Wi-Fi becomes the channel of choice for many users.

“Connectivity, particularly wireless, is going to become more and more important to our consumers,” said Cablevision CEO James Dolan. “Connectivity has surpassed video as the primary product for a company like ours. And we need to continue to strategize our product offerings to reflect that with different packaging, etc., which is something I think we will do in 2015.”

Another interesting fact the survey uncovered is that 80 percent of participants said they would feel comfortable allowing their service provider to collect personal data if it would make the marketing and client service experience more personalized and satisfactory. Another 7 percent of respondents said they would even be willing to pay more for their service each month if it meant they would get customized offers and personalized service.

“Clients are looking for customized care,” said Nizar Assanie, vice president of IE Market Research. “This question wasn’t asking whether they’d pay more as a line item for customized care. But they did see the value in it. There is a demand for personalized client support and better quality of service and consumers are willing to pay to get it.”

Preparing for changes to BYOD in 2015

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By now, the majority of enterprises have put in place some form of bring-your-own-device policy. Employees have been somewhat slow to take advantage of BYOD options, with only one-third currently using their own smartphones in the office, but that number is expected to increase to 60 percent in the next five years, according to information from Gartner. As BYOD gains more traction in the enterprise, companies should begin to look at how such policies can change the way they do business in the new year. David Willis, a vice president at Gartner, noted that BYOD can bring flexibility to an organization, but it can also bring a variety of new concerns, so IT decision-makers should be prepared for a shifting mobile landscape.

Enterprise mobility management 
One of the major changes happening to enterprise mobility is the integration of information and application management. Traditionally, mobile device management was separated between application and information management. Recently, however, these two categories have converged into a single realm, enterprise mobility management. EMM emerged in 2014, but will continue to flourish throughout 2015. Having all of an organization's enterprise management needs covered under one system will provide multiple benefits for internal IT staff, but will also begin to blur the line between information security and application security, requiring a new, more integrated approach for both.

BYOD as a recruitment tool
Another big shift that businesses will start to experience is the recruitment and retention potential of BYOD. A recent survey conducted by Samsung found that companies have extended BYOD options to 80 percent of support and line-level employees and 94 percent of non-executive managers. Mobility and flexible working options are becoming increasingly important to applicants and organizations that offer comprehensive programs will have a bigger advantage when it comes to persuading the best candidates for the job. With the ability to telecommute, enterprises can recruit the best applicants no matter where they're located. 

Bring-your-own-data
Another trend that has just started to emerge is the idea of bring-your-own-data. As enterprise mobile device policies have evolved, a rising number of programs are looking to leverage the personal information of employees to gain insights. According to information from Gartner, nearly one-third of all BYOD policies will utilize employee data, applications and social connections for business purposes by 2016. Workers have become very comfortable with sharing their personal information with companies like Google and Facebook, it was only a matter of time before organizations took advantage of the data sitting right under their noses.

Telecom predictions suggest cloud, IoT will be big in 2015

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As the new year quickly approaches, it’s a good time to look at the IT trends that 2015 will likely bring. A recent report by market research firm Ovum found that telecom budgets are likely to increase in the new year and will bring large investments in network infrastructure and asset optimization and improved service quality. Other big IT trends for 2015 include the Internet of Things, cloud computing and enterprise mobility, according to the study.

Mobility
With the transition to bring-your-own-device policies becoming more popular, mobility in the enterprise has mostly been fuelled by the consumer market. This is causing problems, leading to what Ovum predicted will become “mobility mismatch” – a situation in which the demands brought by employees aren’t able to be met by internal IT departments. To keep this from happening, or fix the issue if it already has, organizations will have to look beyond BYOD and employ a more managed approach to enterprise devices.

“The telecoms industry is witnessing a long-term shift in spend towards client-oriented systems and processes to improve client satisfaction,” said Peter Dykes, one of the authors of the study. “Investment will be geared towards telecoms infrastructure (cloud platforms and BSS/OSS systems to support LTE implementations) and online channels to support the move towards digital lifestyles.”

Internet of Things
The IoT is one of the biggest buzzwords in the industry right now. Everyone is talking about it, but not many have implemented it – yet. Ovum researchers predict that 2015 will be the year of the IoT, as it become a more permanent fixture in the enterprise with more devices connecting to one another in an ever-expanding network. The report suggested that enterprises will begin to leverage the existing systems that have to support IoT use cases.

Cloud
As mobility and IoT programs are used more frequently, cloud infrastructures will be even more important to the enterprise as a secure place to host the influx of data becomes necessary.

“Cloud-based IoT platforms will continue to gain traction and play a key role in the first wave of IoT adoption by enterprises,” the report stated.

Saurabh Sharma, one of the authors of the study, noted that adopting agile approaches to integration will become a bigger priority for organizations as the cloud, IoT and mobility play a larger role. Sharma predicted that large portions of next year’s IT budgets will be spent on modernizing existing infrastructure to support the new middleware necessary for mobile and IoT initiatives.

Partnering with a cloud service provider can calm security fears for enterprises

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A recent survey conducted by NaviSite and Time Warner Cable found that the majority of enterprises are interested in adopting cloud computing and bring-your-own-device initiatives but are encountering a variety of barriers to deployment, chief among them threats to security.

The study, which included responses from 250 companies in the U.S. and U.K., found that implementing cloud services and enabling a mobile workforce are two of the most important initiatives being considered by businesses today. While nearly 90 percent of participant organizations reported having plans to move business-critical applications to the cloud within the next year, 59 percent admitted to having concerns about security related to the technology.

According to the report, 94 percent of organizations are employing the cloud to create a more mobile workforce, but 68 percent of participating enterprises said they did not currently have a BYOD policy in place. This is because of a lack of IT professionals with the necessary skills to implement such a plan and concern from businesses that an influx of mobile devices will lead to security issues they are unequipped to defend against. Other emerging technology like the Internet of Things is also appealing to companies because of the business insights it can offer, but the trend brings along a variety of security concerns of its own.  

Third-party cloud providers offer relief from security threats
Recent data breaches involving cloud-based file sharing services like iCloud and Dropbox have cast doubt on the safety of the cloud for enterprise use, and the very real threat of mobile malware has dampened enthusiasm for BYOD initiatives. However, companies can experience the advantages of both by utilizing a third-party service provider to aid them in their migration. As shown by the study, the vast majority of businesses are looking to deploy a cloud platform and many groups are interested in BYOD, especially as the interest in wearables increases. With the knowledge and expertise of third-party providers, enterprises can realize the benefits of these programs while greatly reducing the risk of security incidents and data loss.

"Effective business leaders recognize that while they need to leverage virtual technologies to remain competitive, they also need to leverage their existing investments in traditional platforms," said Sean McAvan, managing director of NaviSite Europe, in an interview with Business Cloud News. "Those companies who most effectively leverage cloud and virtual technology often partner with a managed service provider, freeing them up to focus on their core competencies."

Mobile cloud services market growing fast, new study finds

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A recently released study by Markets and Markets on the mobile cloud market found the sector is poised to make rapid gains in the next five years.

According to the “Mobile Cloud Market by Application & by User: Worldwide Market Forecast and Analysis” report, the market is projected to increase an a compound annual growth rate of 37.8 percent between 2014 and 2019, jumping from $9.43 billion to $46.9 billion.

One of the reasons the mobile cloud market has picked up momentum as quickly as it has is because of the increased convenience realized through the use of the cloud. Information is available in a single, streamlined interface and can be accessed from anywhere with often just an Internet connection. This plays into the major factor driving the rise of the mobile cloud market, according to the report. An increased demand from consumers for connectivity has been met by cloud computing, as the technology provides interoperability and connections previously unavailable.

The study noted that the transition of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets away from being used solely as forms of communication or entertainment toward enterprise means has also helped to push the adoption of mobile cloud services, as users are interested in applications that allow them to access all of their data with a single click.

Businesses especially benefit from mobile cloud access
Since the creation of the Internet, nothing has quite shaken up the technology industry quite like cloud computing. As an increasing number of organizations are realizing the business benefits of the cloud, the services and applications that complement the technology have also grown more popular. Enterprises especially are able to experience advantages from the connectivity offered from the cloud, as enhancing the connection to clients and vendors enables improved responsiveness and agility.

As cloud-enabled mobile applications and services earn a larger foothold in the business world, protecting enterprise information is becoming a growing concern. Data security and privacy were both cited as key challenges in the report, and many organizations are held back from experiencing all of the benefits of the cloud because of security concerns. Deploying a cloud platform with the help of an experienced third-party service provider is a simple and reliable way to ensure sensitive data remains private and secure. Cloud service providers utilize tools and techniques like encryption when hosting client files, increasing the security of information and the benefits an organization can realize with the cloud.

Screen to screen salesman: Utilizing video conferencing to improve enterprise efficiency

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For years, salespeople had to travel all across the country to create new contacts and grow business – a time consuming and expensive undertaking. With the advent of the Internet, this endless travel was dramatically reduced. But meetings with clients and vendors are still necessary and some things are better discussed face-to-face. Luckily, enterprises can now take advantage of video conferencing to schedule meetings with anyone in any place.

The ability to conference enables organizations to have face-to-face meetings with clients without physically having to be together, providing the necessary personal touch while dramatically reducing the cost of travel. Video conferencing also provides operational efficiencies within an enterprise as well. Remote workers and employees located in different offices can all come together easily through the use of video conferencing and company-wide meetings can be offered through an existing unified communications platform to provide a streamlined user experience.

Video conferencing offers organizations the ability to rapidly communicate with necessary parties. In the current fast-paced business environment, sometimes even just a few minutes can give a company a competitive advantage. If one organization can communicate important information to their team quicker than another, the fast enterprise will come out on top.

Utilizing video conferencing not only increases the speed of business communication, it also improves the efficiency and effectiveness of those messages. Emails can often be misinterpreted and take additional, unnecessary steps to arrive at a conclusion. Video conferencing provides the straightforward aspects of a phone call with the visual capabilities of an email to create a clear and streamlined communication tool.

Through the use of other modern UC features that utilize desktop virtualization, like screen sharing, video conferencing can become a completely interactive resource that increases the productivity, collaboration and innovation of a company.

Employees looking for social media within enterprise UC

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As employees become increasingly tech-savvy and begin to use a growing number of online applications and services to communicate on their own time, many workers are becoming more interested in integrating these tools into their organizations’ unified communications strategies.

According to a recently-released report by Source for Consulting, a majority of employees in the U.K. support integrating social media with back-office solutions in order to improve their work environments. The study, conducted in partnership with Advanced Business Solutions, surveyed finance, IT and HR staff from 160 mid-market firms in the U.K. Nearly 80 percent of employees from those organizations believe social media adoption will improve productivity, increase collaboration between employees and enhance supplier engagement.

The study found that 86 percent of organizations used social media for external purposes like marketing and client feedback, but only 17 percent used the technology for internal communication. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed felt their companies should be more concerned with internal collaboration.

“Although social media is widely used for sales, marketing and client services, it is not as well established as a means of optimizing productivity by improving employee collaboration,” said ABS managing director Simon Fowler in an interview with ITProPortal. “People are an organization’s most valuable asset and social technologies enable them to collaborate and share their knowledge quickly and easily from wherever they are working. This technology is ideal for bringing disparate teams closer together, enabling them to share their expertise and build on their combined knowledge.”

According to the report, implementing internal social media networks can help to increase productivity by reducing other time-consuming forms of communication. For example, 69 percent of participants reported social networks helping to cut down on unnecessary email.

Enterprise social media offers improved engagement
While just 13 percent of respondents said their organizations used social media solutions to engage suppliers, more than half felt their firms should be doing so in order to detect and leverage mutually beneficial opportunities and stay on top of potential supply chain issues.

Only 21 percent of organizations surveyed reported using social media for recruitment purposes, but this number will likely grow as companies realize the benefits of reaching out to a wider audience. Utilizing enterprise social media can be advantageous for groups interested in growing their staffs, as potential employees can be provided with specialized online recruitment solutions to manage their applications and engage more directly with the company.

Is your BYOD policy ready for the wearables boom?

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While its only the beginning of November, Christmas is in full swing for retailers, and this year's hottest gifts are wearable devices. More money is expected to be spent on wearable technology like the Fitbit and the Apple Watch this holiday season than in any previous year. New research by Samsung, which itself is about to debut a new smartwatch, projects spending on such devices will increase 182 percent this year compared to 2013.

Tech giants like Google are increasingly creating standalone wearable products as opposed to those made as accessories for smartphones, driving the popularity of the devices. The Samsung study found that fitness and activity tracking technology will be the most popular this year, as users further appreciate the health benefits of the devices. According to the report, almost $1.5 billion will be spent on activity monitors and smartwatches by the end of 2014.

"The wearables market has exploded over the past 12 to 18 months with some incredibly exciting and innovative products entering the market," said Samsung U.K. and Ireland president Andy Griffith. "As the benefits wearable technology can offer become better understood, it is natural that the sales within this sector will grow and we are delighted to see predictions of 121 percent growth and sales reaching €395 million ($495 million) in the U.K. alone by the end of this year."

As wearables take hold, data safety at risk 
London's Imperial College Business School and communications firm Zeno also conducted research into the area, which revealed that consumers are increasingly willing to put their fears about data privacy aside in order to access better features and benefits from their wearable technology. Half of respondents said they would be willing to share personal information in exchange for a reward. The study also discovered that 6 million people in the U.K. will own a wearable device by September 2015, despite the fact that 55 percent of those surveyed reported not wanting third-parties to be able to collect information gathered by their devices.

As wearable devices continue to grow in popularity, workers will be increasingly interested in using these products at work in the same way they do at home. Enterprises will need to begin incorporating wearables like smartwatches into their BYOD policies in order to protect company networks from their employees' lack of safety precautions.

Schools increase student engagement, understanding with video conferencing

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With the increasing abundance of technology available to schools, classrooms are beginning to implement video conferencing to improve student engagement and enhance curriculum. Schools take advantage of video conferencing to expose students to people and places they may never have been able to see otherwise. Graphics and videos can be easily integrated into lectures to allow for a more comprehensive lesson that helps kids absorb material better. Related technology, like desktop virtualization, allows guest lecturers to share information on students’ computers or tablets to enhance the lesson.

“Children need to have an emotional connection with what they’re learning in order to commit that to long term memory and when you’re learning out of a textbook, that emotional connection isn’t there,” explained teacher Michael Soskil in an interview with New York News 1. “Using technology in this transformative way allows kids to be inspired and it allows that deep learning to take place.”

Improving the classroom experience
A common use of educational video conferencing is to connect students with experts who can give better context to the material being covered in class. Allowing students to directly communicate with someone with special knowledge of a subject can help to create a connection between what’s being taught and how it’s relevant in the real world. This connection helps material to be better absorbed by students and increases the overall value of the lesson.

“Studies show that when students see the connection between what they are learning and its real-world use case, their motivation soars, and so does their learning,” explained a spokesperson for Blue Jean Networks, an educational video conferencing service. “One of the best, and most popular, ways to make that connection is by introducing subject matter experts into education.”

One of the most beneficial uses of video conferencing in classrooms is the ability to offer rural schools access to courses and teachers they may not have otherwise been able to have. Schools with limited resources or in rural locations may not be able to hire teachers knowledgeable in all of the subjects they want to teach, but by implementing video conferencing, students can have access to almost any course they are interested in.

Video conferencing also allows students in classrooms from around the world to connect with one another. This global connection offers students the chance to exchange educational and cultural views, which gives them the chance to see things from a different perspective and create new ideas. Virtual field trips are also made possible by utilizing video conferencing. Just as students can connect with other classrooms overseas, foreign locations can also be visited. Teachers can show their classes historic landmarks and important cultural locations, all by a video conference connection.