Nokia is introducing several enhancements to its in-home WiFi solution that maximise WiFi performance and simplify network management.
The new WiFi solution expands Nokia’s portfolio with meshed WiFi gateways and beacons, delivers a new WiFi Home Portal for service providers, introduces a mobile application for users and provides new software functions and analytics that improve network intelligence.
Whole-home WiFi networks are increasingly being strained by the growing number of connected devices and signal interference that comes from appliances like microwaves, creating an influx of help desk calls by users frustrated with their WiFi performance.
With more than 30% of calls related to poor in-home connectivity*, service providers are increasingly challenged with troubleshooting issues that are often the result of third-party WiFi solutions. With limited network visibility into the home, this can lead to lengthy trial and error procedures or expensive visits to diagnose issues.
Nokia’s in-home WiFi solution overcomes these challenges with several new enhancements that improve the user experience and significantly reduce the time and complexity for service providers to solve network problems. These include:
* Extended portfolio with meshed WiFi solutions that include a wide array of premium, flagship and entry level Gateways and Beacons – WiFi access points that consumers can install throughout the home to create an intelligent mesh, extend coverage and boost performance. Beacons quickly guide each device to the nearest or fastest access point, and ensure an optimal path through the network.
* Software enhancements from Nokia to quickly upgrade selected existing gateways in the field to support meshed WiFi networking capabilities.
* WiFi Home Portal for Service Providers – Providing a single screen, holistic view of a user’s in-home WiFi network, allowing service providers to effectively manage devices, quickly identify and resolve issues or upsell new services – such as broadband capacity or additional beacons – to improve network performance.
* New software and embedded analytic functions that compile insights on the network, devices and interference sources to automatically self-heal and optimize the WiFi experience. This includes algorithms that automate band and channel steering to improve overall performance and create full in-home coverage with seamless roaming capabilities without service interruption.
* End-user mobile application – Delivering an intuitive, simple interface that provides a visual representation of the WiFi network including a heat map to easily locate and manage dead zones and identify the right place to add new access points to fill coverage gaps. Customers can also quickly access device lists and management capabilities to create guest networks. The application gives users access to a wide array of self-install, network care and troubleshooting capabilities.
Federico Guillén, president of Nokia’s Fixed Networks business group, says: “For many users, the concept of WiFi and broadband access are synonymous, putting many service providers on the front line of customer complaints if WiFi performance is impacted. Depending on the tools available to service providers, this can become either a business challenge or an opportunity.
“Nokia’s enhanced in-home WiFi solution is unique in that it addresses the customer need for a better WiFi experience while providing service providers with the tools and visibility they need to quickly resolve issues, enhance customer loyalty and create additional revenue-generating opportunities.”