Category: Wi-Fi for Business

AI and Enterprise Wi-Fi: New Frontiers of Possibility

Posted on by Craig Blignaut

Artificial intelligence (AI) makes it possible for machines to learn from experience, adjust to new inputs and perform human-like tasks.

Using technologies such as deep learning and natural language processing, computers can be trained to accomplish specific tasks by processing large amounts of data and recognising patterns in the data. The Wi-Fi arena is no different in that AI can also make the processing of tasks speedier and more efficient – we are now in the era of AI-driven networking.

AI Wi-Fi refers to wireless networks that make use of artificial intelligence to optimise connectivity, performance, connected user experience and security. This technology uses machine learning (ML) algorithms to analyse network hardware, traffic, user behaviour and environmental factors in real-time. The AI initiates closed loop automation to adjust the network settings, such as resource allocation, to improve performance.

This article discusses how AI can be used in Enterprise Wi-Fi networks, and how AI is benefitting Vox and our Wi-Fi customers.

 

AI-Driven Business Intelligence for Enterprise Networks

android 7711290 1920 resized | Vox | AI and Enterprise Wi-Fi: New Frontiers of Possibility

Artificial intelligence in Wi-Fi networks today can assist significantly with the configuration of the network, as well as with support thereafter, including being able to spot issues before they become a serious problem.

Vox has partnered with Wi-Fi networking equipment specialist, Ruckus Networks, for approximately the last decade, and within our partnership we proudly offer its AI Managed Wi-Fi offering for enterprise networks, which presents AI-driven business intelligence for enterprise networks.

As a cloud-based service for network intelligence and service assurance, Ruckus AI Managed Wi-Fi with Analytics is powered by machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI). This in turn helps customers get the most from their network, for example by identifying network assurance incidents, classifying them by severity, tracing root causes and making specific AI recommendations for remediation. It automatically monitors network health relative to configurable thresholds.

 

Benefits of AI-Driven Enterprise Wi-Fi

ai generated 8310945 1280 resized | Vox | AI and Enterprise Wi-Fi: New Frontiers of Possibility

AI can dynamically adjust Wi-Fi parameters like channel selection and contention window size to optimise network performance, ensuring smooth and efficient data transmission. In addition, it simplifies life for IT departments and technicians, as AI dramatically reduces the time to resolution for service incidents.

It can also eliminate some Help Desk tickets by addressing issues before they affect users, allowing the organisation to be proactive in this regard and solve problems before they arise. Additionally, by addressing the root cause for one incident, organisations can avoid other incidents that might arise from that cause.

Most importantly, it alleviates the need for an organisation’s IT department to manage the Wi-Fi network – Vox will manage this. Organisations can view real-time dashboards and, if required log tickets via the Vox enterprise support desk, because Vox has comprehensive visibility into network operations, which accelerates troubleshooting.

By proactively addressing issues and optimising network performance, AI can contribute to a better overall user experience, with faster speeds, reduced buffering, and fewer connection problems. In addition, AI can simplify network management, by automating many of the tasks associated with managing a complex Wi-Fi network, thereby reducing the burden on IT staff.

 

Faster Feature Updates Due to Cloud-Based Licences

globe 2679754 1920 resized | Vox | AI and Enterprise Wi-Fi: New Frontiers of Possibility

A question that might spring to mind is the following: ‘How does South Africa compare to the developed world with regards to our access to AI within the Wi-Fi arena?’ and the answer may surprise you on the upside.

In essence, because today we have the option of moving to a cloud-based licence, all users globally are able to benefit from feature updates to cloud platforms, as they could all be on the same version due to simultaneous software updates. In this regard, South African companies will not necessarily be running behind users in other parts of the world, thanks to the cloud.

Vox is very pleased to be able to bring our customers the latest Wi-Fi networking feature updates as soon as they are made available to us from our upstream providers and placed onto the relevant platforms. Because Vox is accessing features as they are rolled out by the supplier, this means in turn that our customers benefit as and when new features and updates become available.

Knowing that we are able to offer our clients first-world AI-enabled Wi-Fi technology, in partnership with Ruckus Networks, is something of which we are truly proud.

IT Expertise Served with a Side of ‘Can-Do’ Attitude

Posted on by Vivienne Fouche

Meet our Experts: Spotlight on Roger Maia

At Vox, we value, support and actively engage people with the levels of expertise that we require to keep us moving forward as a company. In this edition of ‘Meet our Experts’, we find out more about Roger Maia, who works in the Wireless Department as a Senior Wi-Fi Architect and Engineer. His responsibilities revolve around designing and implementing Wi-Fi Networks, as well as optimising their performance. 

When you meet Roger Maia and talk to him for a while, motivational sayings start popping into your head.

Phrases like: ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going’ and ‘The best way out is always through’ can be perfectly applied to the Senior Wi-Fi Architect and Engineer for Vox.

At Vox, and within his chosen IT field, Roger is known for his hard work, excellent understanding of his subject matter and a life-long learning ethic, but did you know that he’s also a talented multi-instrument musician who is always ready to give back to the community?

In this edition of ‘People of Vox’, we shine the spotlight on Roger and what makes him tick.

 

The Power of Persistence

Roger’s pathway into the IT arena was a little bumpy in the beginning (this is where those motivational sayings start making themselves heard).

“I finished studying and couldn’t find work in the IT industry at first,” he explains, “and so I started working for my father, who has a carpentry business. I was doing things like putting up doors, skirting boards, cornices and so on. I like to describe my dad as being ‘a doctor of wood’ – he has been working with wood all his life and knows intuitively how to craft it.

Roger dad smaller | Vox | IT Expertise Served with a Side of ‘Can-Do’ Attitude
The ‘doctor of wood’

“I then went to Mozambique for two years, where I was again working with my hands, this time fixing power tools, including drill machines, jigsaws and circular saws. After two years, I came back to SA and relatively soon was able to find a job in IT – I was happy to finally start working in my field of study.”

Some four years later, Roger applied for a job at Vox. Having aced the interview process, he began working for SA’s best local ISP around 16 years ago, on the 1st of May 2009 – a day which, he says, is etched in his brain. “Imagine jumping from a pond into a lake or an ocean!” he says. “Well, I was looking for new challenges, and when I came to Vox, I found them – it was a massive learning curve!”

In essence, Roger was promoted during his first week to a higher-level position than the one he’d been hired for. “I started in Hosting and three days after joining, my employer moved me into IT, as I was good with staff members and computers.

Roger at Work resized | Vox | IT Expertise Served with a Side of ‘Can-Do’ Attitude
Early days at Vox

“In due course, I moved into the Wi-Fi arena, which I love, and became a senior engineer. Today, I really enjoy working with new technology, with a strong focus on research and development. Because technology is growing so fast, it means that you never stop studying in the quest to stay on top.”

 

Fast Forwarding to Today…

Today, in his capacity as Senior Wi-Fi Architect and Engineer, Roger works closely with his colleagues to ensure that all Wi-Fi networks adhere to specific ISO standards. He also liaises with other key people in the business, including product managers, sales specialists, technical engineers and solutions architects.

Roger says his work passion is ignited when he’s able to work with cutting-edge technologies. “You never stop studying because the technology is growing so fast,” he clarifies. “There’s always growth for Wi-Fi and it certainly is taking off, while Li-Fi (Light Fidelity) exists now also, meaning a wireless communication technology that uses light to transmit data instead of radio waves.

Li Fi | Vox | IT Expertise Served with a Side of ‘Can-Do’ Attitude

“And of course we all know that AI has been introduced and is being used to resolve issues. I’m interested in being able to see new technologies early in their lifecycle and introduce them within the business.”

As far as working at Vox is concerned, one of Roger’s highlights to date has been working on a stadium’s Wi-Fi design and installation in Bloemfontein with the help of the Ruckus team, while from day to day, he enjoys giving Vox clients customised solutions that work for their needs, and seeing how Vox employees grow and mature with the knowledge and skills they’re provided with. He also hopes to be able to build and mentor a bigger team one day: “At the moment it’s just Francois Combrinck and me,” he says.

 

Altruistic and musical

Away from work, Roger has a strong sense of family and is comfortable with the support that he experiences from both his Portuguese background and his church community.

Roger mom and dad resized smaller | Vox | IT Expertise Served with a Side of ‘Can-Do’ Attitude
Roger’s mom and dad

“My dad and my late mom both taught my siblings and me to be self-reliant and to rate ongoing study very highly. And so, from an early age, we learned the value of not having to rely on other people, and it’s a habit that remains ingrained today. For example, I’m much more inclined to look up YouTube when something needs fixing in my home – and then do it myself – than I am to call someone out.”

This same do-it-yourself philosophy extends to his musical interests: Roger plays eight instruments, including the alto, tenor and soprano saxophone, trumpet, clarinet and violin. Astonishingly, after his dad initially taught him how to read sheet music and to play the soprano sax, all the other instruments in Roger’s repertoire are self-taught!

Roger violin smaller | Vox | IT Expertise Served with a Side of ‘Can-Do’ Attitude

He puts this musical talent to good use within the community by encouraging teenagers to come to church, where he teaches interested youngsters how to play a musical instrument, rather than being on the streets. So here it seems appropriate to pop another quote into the story, this time from British singer and musician Sting: ‘If you play music with passion and love and honesty, then it will nourish your soul, heal your wounds and make your life worth living. Music is its own reward.’

Finally, Roger offers the following advice with regards to overcoming specific challenges to move forward in one’s career: “Work hard and study extensively. Keep up to date by continuously studying. And as my dad used to say: If you sweep the streets, make sure you sweep them like no one else!”

Vox’s successful WiFi 7 test lays foundation for future-proofed, robust and secure business WiFi networks

Posted on by Craig Blignaut

Vox partnered with Samsung and Ruckus Networks to put the WiFi-7 enabled Galaxy S24 through its paces to learn about the latest generation WiFi benefits that can be applied to business networks today

JOHANNESBURG – As the world navigates what can best be described as the most exhilarating burst of technology innovation in human history, Vox ran a test with Samsung’s latest device and Ruckus Networks to demonstrate the revolutionary power of WiFi 7, as it works to refine solutions to empower businesses with future-proofed networking capabilities.

While not mainstream yet, WiFi 7 blows the speeds of current WiFi generations out of the water, surpassing WiFi 6 by a factor of three and WiFi 5 by a factor of 10. However, it is not the speed that is the most exciting, says Product Manager for WiFi at Vox, Craig Blignaut. “In fact, for now it isn’t about the speed as there are a number of factors in SA – which will change in the coming months and years – that hold this factor back. The excitement comes from the cutting-edge technology, including multi-link operation and advanced error correction that enables seamless connectivity for a large number of devices.

“There is a radically reduced latency and markedly improved robustness, with less downtime and disturbance. The test enabled us to get a taste of the immense potential of the technology. Let’s be clear, use cases will still emerge but WiFi 7 will power bandwidth-intensive applications such as 8k streaming, virtual and augmented reality and online gaming. For businesses, it opens up the possibility of radically reduced latency and increased capacity which will revolutionise wireless networks.”

This is one of the main drivers behind the WiFi-7 test on the Samsung device, as Vox’s highly successful partnership with Ruckus Networks is designed to build products and solutions that will radically improve their customers’ current connectivity. This is to future-proof businesses to withstand the influx of WiFi 7 devices and applications in the not-so-distant future, which will remove the need for further network upgrades down the line, explains Blignaut. “In other words, the reliability and robustness of Ruckus Networks’ infrastructure means Vox can effectively deliver tomorrow’s innovation to businesses today.”

Ruckus Networks provides networking solutions, specifically wireless access points and related products. Their products are designed to provide reliable, high-performance, and secure wireless connectivity for various environments. Samsung’s Galaxy S24 is one of a few devices in the world that are already WiFi 7 enabled, and so by collaborating, the teams were able to uncover valuable insights.

“Bandwidth from a speed capacity is currently limited in SA for a number of reasons, but this will change, no doubt. But where the WiFi industry is going is towards managing capacity better – in other words, shared bandwidth infrastructure and improved reliability. Automation cannot afford any drop in connectivity – it needs excellent throughput. There’s reduced interference and this is very important when we consider the new frequency bands that have been released,” explains Blignaut.

“This is the backdrop to the successful test. It was about testing tomorrow’s capability today, and then, equipped with our Ruckus partnership, to bring that robustness to businesses,” he explains. Elaborating more on their test, Blignaut explains that outside of the speed consideration, latency drops from today’s general discussion of 1ms to a latency of 0.1ms, on top of an ability to maintain consistency.

“In five years, WiFi 7 will be highly relevant. The question then becomes: If you are an organisation that needs to invest in networking infrastructure today, are you going to invest in technology that is made for today but will be irrelevant in a few years?

“Or will you invest in technology that is relevant for today, fully optimised and capable of handling the massive evolution that WiFi 7 will bring in a few years’ time, while still enjoying future benefits now, such as unparalleled robustness, vastly increased secure and seamless connections, and radically reduced latency with less disturbance? This is why we did the test and why we continue to innovate with our partners,” says Blignaut.

Vox achieves Ruckus Elite Partner status: businesses to benefit from increased Wi-Fi performance

Posted on by Craig Blignaut

As part of efforts to bolster the full bouquet of offerings and solutions it can build for businesses in South Africa, leading internet service provider Vox has announced that it has achieved Ruckus Elite Partner status as of the 2023 calendar year. Having selected Ruckus Networks, which has been early to market with the launch of a new Wi-Fi 7 enterprise solution, the Elite Partner status bolsters Vox’s ability to deliver reliable end-user experiences for businesses.

Ruckus Networks builds and delivers networks that outperform in an array of challenging and unique environments. Vox, which is renowned for building robust business connectivity solutions, has been building internal expertise with Ruckus technology over the past eight years.

“Vox delivers solutions that ultimately support the end user. Our solutions are made up of various aspects, including fibre, and Wi-Fi is an important part of a well-designed solution. The Ruckus platform has enabled us to bring robust connectivity to businesses because of its stability and reliability. This has been crucial to the trust we have built up as a brand. Achieving Elite Partner amplifies the value we can bring to our customers,” says Craig Blignaut, Product Manager: Wi-Fi at Vox.

Referring to the focused effort Vox has put into upskilling the business, Werner Wentzel, Territory Account Manager at Ruckus Networks says the relationship is mutually beneficial. “We share the aligned vision of bringing top-tier, reliable and robust solutions to end users in the country. Vox’s commitment over the past eight years has rightly culminated in the Elite Partner status,” he says. “Vox achieved the Top ISP in terms of sales in 2021 and 2022 and so the Elite Partner achievement builds on this momentum.”

Blignaut says that the status has resulted in a significant increase in partner engagement, and is supported by additional engineer certifications. He explains that there has been a mandated commitment in the business for staff to complete Ruckus training. This resulted in exponential growth of Ruckus products in the market through Vox. “This mutually beneficial relationship is obviously valuable to Vox and Ruckus, but it is incredibly important for the industry in terms of the indepth knowledge of Wi-Fi technology,” he says.

Ultimately, while celebrating the milestone is important, says Blignaut, the partner status will benefit businesses that need robust, reliable and future-proofed connectivity solutions. “As more and more devices become Wi-Fi 7 enabled, businesses will be able to enter the next wave of technology with confidence, building on the exceptional reliability they already have with our solutions generally, and the Ruckus platform specifically.”

Five key trends driving enterprise Wi-Fi in 2024

Posted on by Craig Blignaut

In the typical enterprise, there are a variety of applications required for use by various stakeholders; these different applications also demand different types of network technologies, from a speed and latency perspective, in order to function optimally. One of these technologies is Wi-Fi – not only has it been growing in popularity, but also in terms of capabilities, and the next generation of wireless will open up new opportunities for local businesses in the year ahead.

Much of this will come down to the introduction of the Wi-Fi 7 standard, which the Wi-Fi Alliance expects will be finalised and fully implemented before the end of the first quarter of 2024. Some Wi-Fi equipment manufacturers are already selling Wi-Fi 7-equipped routers and access points, while few user devices such as high-end smartphones with similar capabilities are already on the market and will be able to take full advantage of the standard.

While South Africa has often been as much as a year or two behind when it comes to the adoption of new Wi-Fi standards, this can prove to be a blessing in disguise: because of the delay in the finalisation of the Wi-Fi 7 standard, the country is in a position to leapfrog the current best standard, Wi-Fi 6e. Here are some of the trends that we can see as Wi-Fi 7 adoption picks up.

1. Enabling high-bandwidth, low-latency applications
Where Wi-Fi 6e delivers up to 10Gbps of bandwidth, Wi-Fi 7 brings a theoretical peak bandwidth of up to 30Gbps and latency of below 5 milliseconds. Such low latency enables applications such as real-time automation, where artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can be used to run a factory or manufacturing operation without any data packet losses that can lead to errors.

For consumers, the introduction of this wireless technology standard could see more people taking more to social gaming and eSports, as well as 8K streaming as the experience improves. In addition, PC and console enthusiasts will also be able to enjoy multiplayer gaming while being on a wireless connection because of the low latency. Then, after being talked about for years, next-generation wireless headsets might finally drive increased adoption of applications such as virtual reality, augmented reality and even mixed reality for both personal and professional uses.

2. Smarter next generation networks
Current generation access points deliver ‘best effort’ networks, with latency increasing as the access point gets loaded, similar to what can be experienced when using other wireless technologies such as 4G/LTE or 5G. This is unlike using optic fibre, for example, which can have service level agreements (SLAs) in place and provide a guaranteed experience.

On the other hand, next-generation networks will be ‘deterministic’ networks, with software-programmable Wi-Fi radios to ensure optimal network capacity and efficiency, thereby providing higher reliability and lower latency. Being designed as an end-to-end network fabric also brings onboard new capabilities such as Ethernet Virtual Private Network (EVPN) and Virtual Extensible Local Area Network (VXLAN). EVPN and VXLAN provide enterprises with the flexibility to better manage their campus and data centre networks even as a growing number of endpoints – such as mobile devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices and more – are added to the network.

3. Unified management across access technologies
Within the enterprise, there will be a growing focus on implementing unified policy management for multi-radio access technologies; this could see various standards including Wi-Fi 6e, Wi-Fi 7, Private 5G and wired access points all working together under a single enterprise network. This ensures that consistent policies are being applied across the different technologies, which also results in a seamless handover when users switch between different technologies.

We are also seeing IoT play a greater role in the enterprise with more sensing devices being rolled out, and they will need to be supported by connectivity. In response, vendors are incorporating more IoT technologies into their access points, while organisations can also use unified policy management to include low-power wireless networks that are dedicated to IoT or machine-to-machine (M2M) devices, such as Zigbee, as part of their single enterprise network.


4. User experience as a priority
Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6e brought improvements in bandwidth capacity even when used in high-density deployments where there are a lot of users simultaneously connected and, as is usual with any new generation, Wi-Fi 7 has to provide a lot more than that. Where the focus to date has been on increasing overall bandwidth and improving network speeds, Wi-Fi 7 will shift the priority to ensuring a quality Wi-Fi experience for the end user.

This includes capabilities such as 8×8 MIMO, or Multiple-Input Multiple-Output, which is a wireless technology that uses several transmitters and receivers (in this case 8 each) to transfer more data at the same time. These dedicated radios can also track users as they walk around and even transfer them seamlessly between access points to ensure the best user experience.

5. Improved wireless security
With Wi-Fi being so ubiquitous, it makes use of Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) technologies to keep information passing across Wi-Fi networks safe. The current standard, WPA3, provides the latest security protocols and more robust authentication, including 192-bit security to protect more sensitive data.

However, WPA3 cannot be enabled unless all devices on the network support this latest security standard. When it comes to wireless security, the standard in use falls back to what can be used by the least capable device on the network, so for example, if you have devices that still use WPA2, then that is the standard at which the entire network will be secured. With cybersecurity threats on the rise, we are likely to see more older equipment and devices being retired from networks in order to maintain higher levels of security.

What enterprises do need to keep in mind is that making the switch to Wi-Fi 7 could create bottlenecks in other areas of the network and they may need to upgrade or even redesign their infrastructure, such as making use of managed switches, in order to cater for increased bandwidth across the network. If other equipment such as routers, switches, and cables are not up to standard, they will not stand to gain from the full benefit that Wi-Fi 7 brings. Here, they must work with a technology expert, such as Vox, who works closely with major equipment vendors and can do a comprehensive needs assessment and provide qualified reasons as to why specific solutions and technologies should be used in an organisation’s network.

Ultimately, Wi-Fi 7 is about bringing more choice for customers; wireless has long competed with wired networks, and the arrival of Wi-Fi 7, is game-changing, as it ushers in an era where those opting for a wireless connection no longer need to worry about the drawbacks of increased latency and dependency on ‘best effort’ networks.

As holiday accommodation is booked out this festive season, guests will be demanding a good Wi-Fi experience

Posted on by Jacques du Toit

As owners of guest lodges, Airbnbs and other types of holiday accommodation gear up for the busy festive season, they need to ensure that they are delivering a good Wi-Fi experience for guests. It is becoming increasingly apparent globally that modern customers demand seamless connectivity and this is often reflected in the online ratings, says Vivica CEO Jacques du Toit, who adds that a spike in queries from guest house owners means this trend is also reflected in South Africa.

“It is important to define what a good Wi-Fi experience is,” says Du Toit. “It means full coverage, simple experience to access the Wi-FI, uncapped and unrestricted access and lastly, backup power when there is loadshedding.

Guests need to be able to walk in and connect with no password, have no cap on data usage and no restrictions or limitations on what they can do online. In other words, if they want to stream Netflix all night or perform a software update on their phone, they need to be able to do this.”

Previously, this type of connectivity was either not possible or too expensive, which is why some guest houses still don’t have this type of Wi-Fi capability, says Du Toit. “There are still guest houses which provide passwords that need to be renewed when data limits are exceeded and this is a big red flag for digitally savvy consumers. In the past it was expensive but modern fibre-to-the-business (FTTB) packages, such as those provided by Vox, deliver a full, uncapped and high-speed service at a cost similar to traditional fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) packages. There’s just no reason for holiday accommodation not to move with the times,” he says.

Having a good internet package is one thing, but guest houses need to invest in backup. “The reality is that if it isn’t load shedding then there may well be an unexpected power cut,” explains Du Toit. “ISPs offer small internet-specific UPS systems that ensure uninterrupted connectivity. More people need to know about these and it is certainly something we at Vox understand as a basic requirement for any establishment that has guests.”

Du Toit says that there is a definite need to educate small business owners, such as guest accommodation owners or managers, about how Wi-Fi works because simple shifts can radically overhaul the connectivity experience. “When people switch to Vox we often see situations where they had upgraded to the highest speed packages available, but they were not advised to upgrade their access points. Using end-of-life technology simply prevents a good Wi-Fi experience,” he says. Wi-Fi access points need to be replaced at least every 2 years. Customers also need to ensure that the software is regularly updated to ensure optimal performance and up to date security measures.

Beyond that, not enough people understand the difference between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks. “I am sure most people have noticed two options when they turn on their routers for the first time. These aren’t negligible. Choosing the right frequency for the right purpose is crucial. 2.4 GHz has a longer range and can penetrate walls and rooms, but it may experience more interference and have a lower throughput. Here, the user will experience slower speeds, albeit further away from the router. 5 GHz, on the other hand, provides faster speeds but its effective range is far shorter,” explains Du Toit.

When people realise this, or when they have dead spots in their businesses or homes, they often buy Wi-Fi extenders, which Du Toit says is not an optimal solution because they don’t work as people expect them to. “Rather, customers should be educated about wireless mesh network. At a place such as Vox, a mesh device can be rented for a very small monthly fee, yet the Wi-Fi experience is drastically improved” says Du Toit.

In a mesh Wi-Fi environment, instead of relying on a single Wi-Fi device such as a traditional router, you have multiple access points placed strategically throughout the home or office. These access points work together to provide a more reliable and extended wireless coverage. The advantage is that as you move around, your devices seamlessly connect to the access point with the best signal, ensuring a consistent internet connection.”

This can be set up once-off, says Du Toit, or businesses that place a premium on a good Wi-Fi experience for their customers or guests, can engage with Vox for managed Wi-Fi, he says. “Managed Wi-Fi allows a step-shift away from complexity and an over-reliance on a Wi-Fi architecture that isn’t ideally suited to each location’s unique needs. The managed service means businesses benefit from hands-on convenience and support within a reliable and performance-optimised ecosystem,” he says.

Wading through complexity: Enterprise connectivity doesn’t need vellies or wellies

Posted on by Craig Blignaut

Security, connectivity, mobility, configuration – the enterprise network is an exercise in complexity unless management is refined and streamlined, says Craig Blignaut, Product Manager, Wi-Fi at Vox.

Connectivity is fundamental to a thriving enterprise. Cloud sprawl, security, scale, inflexibility, compatibility, integration – these are pervasive challenges for organisations wanting connectivity that’s capable of managing user demands and their infrastructure. Yet, as a recent Forrester survey found, 40% of organisations feel that they are losing control over their technology estates thanks to a lack of cloud connectivity – they want more connectivity options and better control over their estate so they can modernise at speed. The problem is…the problem of connectivity.

For most companies, Wi-Fi is an internally managed resource which can inhibit its ability to flex on demand and provide agile support in the event of a failure or downtime. Internal teams only have so many resources at their disposal, and these resources are stretched across users, security and systems. Ideally, the enterprise needs a connectivity platform that can change shape on demand without putting undue pressure on internal resources, and without running the risk of downtime.

These are just some of the reasons why companies are turning to managed Wi-Fi solutions to take the burden off the business’s shoulders. The market is projected to reach $90 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 14.42% over the next seven years. It aligns with research released by Forrester in mid-2023 that highlighted the rise of the business-optimised network (BON) – a network designed for the business. It’s not as obvious as it sounds. The network has always been designed for the business but it also hasn’t. Networks were, as Forrester points out, simply there to connect devices and repositories. Now they are the critical backbone of the enterprise’s architecture, connecting ports, storage, people, technologies, geographies and ecosystems.

In short, they’re not really being correctly designed for the business because they aren’t taking every component and use case into consideration. Managed Wi-Fi allows for the business to step-shift away from convoluted complexity and an over-reliance on a Wi-Fi architecture that isn’t ideally suited to its needs and instead benefit from hands-on convenience and support within a reliable and performance-optimised ecosystem. ISP-managed Wi-Fi solutions provide companies with all-in-one packages that include both the internet service and the Wi-Fi technology so companies don’t need to think about setting things up, troubleshooting the system or ensuring every touchpoint is operating optimally. It becomes someone else’s problem.

Which is nice, because solving that problem via a managed service provider also brings reliability, performance and security.

Quality equipment, optimal network performance, optimised settings, regular maintenance, firmware updates, and robust security features are included in a managed Wi-Fi service. These are time-consuming essentials that have traditionally slowed IT teams down or affected overall network performance. Managed means value-added in that controls and capabilities are dealt with by the service provider and any potential vulnerabilities are rapidly resolved with regular security updates.

The other benefit that comes with shifting responsibility across to a managed service provider is a significant reduction in downtime. Security patches, errors, vulnerability management and network inefficiencies are dealt with rapidly and often without the need to reboot the entire system and leave the office without critical connectivity. It’s an immediate return on investment thanks to reduced downtime and inefficiencies, particularly for companies dealing with remote workers and a global client base.

An accredited Wi-Fi specialist team is essentially a certified support system that delivers connected peace of mind. It’s that simple. While the as-a-Service model is hardly new, shifting Wi-Fi into this realm can help organisations better optimise their services and the design of their networks, effectively overcoming the challenge Forrester raised earlier. A managed Wi-Fi provider assesses the needs of the business and designs a network that meets those needs across key factors such as coverage, capacity and interference. They also manage deployment, configuration and monitoring while allowing for the business to scale on demand.

Taking Wi-Fi into a managed space can help organisations refine their connectivity and costs at a time when both are essential to growth and resilience.

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