Disaggregation is an ugly word, beautiful outcome
The Telecom Infra Project (TIP) has reached a new milestone for its OpenWiFi products with Boingo Wireless becoming the first TIP Participant to adopt OpenWiFi to improve its Wi-Fi 6E network for commercial deployment.
TIP OpenWiFi is a disaggregated Wi-Fi solution based on free open-source software, which benefits from having no supply chain shortage of TIP OpenWiFi products. Arguably this is because each participant is not beholden to one country, company or manufacturer. Organisers of Tip say it prevents vendor lock-in as participants can mix and match products and vendors that suit the specific needs of their Wi-Fi network. This should lead to commoditisation with cheaper products undercutting the prices of the big brands, which could lower both capital and operational expense for Wi-Fi providers.
TIP is a global collective of wireless networkers and TIP OpenWiFi is an open source-based Wi-Fi design that enables multi-vendor, interoperable Wi-Fi networks. Boingo Wireless is working with TIP OpenWiFi ecosystem partners Actiontec on selective projects. They are using Wi-Fi 6E access points with a NetExperience management and controller for cloud and controller software. “Boingo’s leadership as a co-chair for the TIP Wi-Fi Solution Group has accelerated TIP OpenWiFi and the benefits of a disaggregated network,” said Bernard Herscovici, CEO of NetExperience.
The TIP OpenWiFi-based system enables Boingo Wireless to mix and match additional access points and controllers from any TIP OpenWiFi compliant manufacturer. Under these circumstances video streaming, video conferences, gaming and the metaverse are comparatively easy, according to Dr Derek Peterson, chief technology officer at Boingo Wireless. “To keep pace with 5G demands and exponential growth in network traffic, wireless technologies are converging and becoming more interoperable. Open-source bring together the cloud, software and hardware, simplifying networks for more streamlined, WiFi deployments.”
Boingo Wireless continues to lead wireless innovation, said Chetan Hebbalae, co-chair, Wi-Fi Solution Group of TIP. “Like Boingo we are planning to support private wireless, Augmented reality (AR) and 5G use cases,” Hebbalae said.
TIP OpenWiFi Participant companies include Meta, Boingo Wireless, Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, MTN, and Qualcomm. TIP OpenWiFi is managed jointly by the Open Converged Wireless (OCW) Software Group co-chaired by Boingo Wireless, Deutsche Telekom and Meta and the Wi-Fi Solution Group, co-chaired by Deutsche Telekom and Meta.