Nokia launches new, carrier-grade in-home Wi-Fi solution

NEW DELHI: Nokia today introduced its carrier-grade, in-home Nokia Wi-Fi, which will bring an unmatched gigabit connectivity experience to every corner of the home.

The Nokia Wi-Fi portfolio consists of a new line of Wi-Fi gateways and extenders, and ensures that any service - be it video, gaming or plain surfing - is possible with a superior user experience. In addition, the Wi-Fi experience and coverage is optimized by industry first Wi-Fi interference detection and identification. For service providers, the Nokia solution will result in happier subscribers and help decrease Wi-Fi related support costs.

Around 30% of calls to a Communication Service Provider's (CSP) helpdesk today are related to poor in-home connectivity. While CSP's have been bringing gigabit broadband connections to the home, they typically don't control the in-house coverage situation. With the Nokia Wi-Fi portfolio, CSPs will be able to offer a managed whole-home Wi-Fi solution which will reduce customer churn and provide opportunities for new CSP services.

One of the main challenges of the in-home Wi-Fi network is intermediate interference which can be caused by other Wi-Fi devices (the neighbor's network for instance) or non-Wi-Fi devices including microwaves, baby monitors, LTE, cordless phones and wireless game controllers. This interference is even more problematic in an apartment building with a large number of neighbors.

By using Broadcom's BCM4363 WLAN chipset with Air-IQ technology, Nokia is enabling best-in-class Wi-Fi performance by analyzing and avoiding these interference effects, allowing the extension of the Gigabit experience to every corner of the home. Air-IQ helps to minimize connectivity issues, significantly reducing the associated helpdesk costs and number of truck rolls required for a service provider.

Nokia's meshed Wi-Fi solution consists of a premium and basic tier which will provide a flexible solution to meet every type of deployment needs. The Nokia Wi-Fi gateways can identify as much as seventeen different interference sources occurring at 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz, outperforming any current product on the market, which typically detects about four. With the knowledge and statistics provided by Air-IQ, the Nokia wireless gateways can choose the best channel of operation or band, steering devices to avoid disruptive interference.

Federico Guillèn, president of Nokia Fixed Networks, said: "Everyone knows how tedious malfunctioning Wi-Fi networks can be. People demand instant connectivity and perfect coverage throughout their homes. Nokia in-home Wi-Fi delivers just that. Nokia Wi-Fi will be a great tool for service providers to increase customer loyalty and focus on new revenue streams. As they lease the central home gateway and have a trusted relationship with subscribers, they have a key role to play in delivering the Digital Home."

Greg Fischer, senior vice president and general manager, Broadband Carrier Access, said: Broadcom is excited to partner with Nokia to bring to market the unique advantages of Air-IQ technology. Wi-Fi is becoming a managed service offering at many broadband operators around the world and, as a result, the unique insight provided by Air-IQ becomes essential to ensure best-in-class performance while minimizing total cost of ownership."

Chris DePuy, Founder and Technology Analyst at 650 Group, said: "The home Wi-Fi market is undergoing a revolution as consumers demand smarter, coordinated Wi-Fi systems that can scale seamlessly as additional wireless devices are added. In recent years, growth rates of Wi-Fi Extenders and Mesh Wi-Fi systems have outpaced other consumer wireless infrastructure devices."