19. 11. 2019
Mesh Wi-Fi: The key to delivering ultra-fast, whole-home Wi-Fi coverage
As Internet of Things (IoT) devices, Ultra
High Definition (UHD) TV and Over the Top (OTT) services become increasingly
present throughout the home, delivering superfast gigabit connectivity and
whole-home Wi-Fi coverage is a must for operators.
However, this is one of operators’ biggest headaches,
as the ultra-fast broadband service they deliver to the home is often undone by
poor in-house wireless coverage.
Overcoming hurdles
In today’s technology-driven society, having
unreliable Wi-Fi and dead-zones within the home or a business can be extremely
frustrating for the end-user. Furthermore, the concept of Wi-Fi and broadband
access are synonymous for many end-users, meaning service providers are on the
front line of customer complaints. According to Light Reading and telecoms.com,
at least 30 percent of operators’ support calls are related to Wi-Fi issues,
with 60-80 percent of calls escalated to tier-two support.
However, delivering gigabit connectivity and
whole-home Wi-Fi coverage is no easy feat for operators. The worst conditions
are in buildings with heavy concrete or steel construction since concrete,
bricks or chicken wire, can be complete showstoppers. Within the home, physical
obstacles on the propagation path also create barriers and have a significant
impact on wireless signals.
In light of these obstacles, a single Wi-Fi access
point is not enough to cover the whole house or apartment. If operators are to
improve Wi-Fi connectivity and performance within the home, a new approach is
required.
Cue Mesh Wi-Fi
In addition to home gateways, multiple
satellite access points are required to meet the demands of today’s end-users.
This allows a dynamically established Mesh Wi-Fi
network to be set up between the satellite access points, enabling greater coverage
and bandwidth for end-users throughout the home. Within a mesh network, even
the furthest satellite is able to deliver a strong and reliable Wi-Fi signal,
enabling end-users to stream their favourite TV show with the same quality as
they would receive in their living room where their Wi-Fi router is located.
Ending the headaches
For end-users to truly reap the benefits of
Mesh Wi-Fi, the access points must be able to deliver dependable Wi-Fi coverage
with seamless roaming and automatic handover to numerous wireless clients, no
matter how big the location.
To address these needs, Iskratel, a leader in
broadband access solutions, has developed its own Mesh Wi-Fi solution, designed
to enable operators to deliver seamless, whole-home coverage with wireless
gigabit connectivity.
Featuring zero-touch setup, the solution
provides management, provisioning and diagnostics which can be integrated into
GPON home gateways and the auto-configuration TR-069 system. As a result,
operators can optimise operations to reduce operational expense and improve
monitoring of equipment, enabling them to resolve network issues before their
customers complain. Furthermore, the solution enables end-users to access an
easy-to-use mobile app to monitor the performance of their Wi-Fi network.
Following the successful testing of Iskratel’s Mesh
Wi-Fi solution with commercial operators, reports show that they have received
50% fewer customer calls and 67% fewer truck rolls, resulting in reduced
field-installation costs.
End Result
With such successful results, it is easy to
see why operators across the world are looking to deploy Mesh Wi-Fi solutions.
Iskratel has already successfully deployed the solution for Slovenia’s leading
fibre-optical broadband provider, T-2, enabling the operator to provide its
customers with access to high-performance, low-latency Wi-Fi in every corner of
the home.
With the right solution to hand, operators can reap
the benefits of simplified network management, while delivering enhanced Wi-Fi
performance to its customers. This, in turn, will position them to meet the
increasing demands of their customers for whole-home coverage and ultrafast
connectivity, all whilst reducing operational costs.
Want to learn more about how Iskratel Mesh Wi-Fi solution can help you ensure maximum performance and coverage?
Download White Paper