Wireless Broadband Alliance announces winners of 2021 WBA Industry Awards

London, UK, October 6 2021: The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) today announced the winners of the 2021 WBA Industry Awards, which honors the most significant innovations and achievements from across the Wi-Fi ecosystem. The award winners were announced during the during the WBA’s Wireless Global Congress, which is being staged online between September 28th and October 21st 2021.

Award submissions were judged by an independent panel of leading analysts and other industry experts. Here are the 2021 WBA Industry Award winners, along with excerpts from the judges’ decisions:

1. Best Wi-Fi Network Operator Award
   Winning entry: KT Corporation – The Next Generation, Wi-Fi 6E
   “KT’s entry highlights the operator’s commitment to leverage the best technology (Wi-Fi 6E) and resources (i.e., 6Ghz spectrum) available to improve user experience across different venues and applications such as smart factory network deployments.”
2. Best Wi-Fi Network Technology Award
   Winning Entry: Cognitive Systems for WiFi Motion: A New Promise to Consumers
   “Cognitive Systems shows true innovation. Smart Homes are becoming ever more cluttered with technology — IoT hubs and sensors — so extending Wi-Fi beyond communication and into sensing without needing additional hardware is a key feature to aid adoption.”
3. Best In-Home Wi-Fi Network Award
   Winning Entry: Airties for Airties Managed Wi-Fi with OpenRoaming & EasyMesh Integrations
   “App-based network monitoring and control improves the user experience. Support for OpenRoaming and EasyMesh in one solution. Router (software) upgrade pathway provides operators with option to roll out services across installed devices.”
4. Best Enterprise Wi-Fi Network Award
   Winning Entry: Cisco Systems and San José State University
   “The Cisco/SJSU entry highlights the company’s strength in Wi-Fi 6E solution portfolios ranging from indoor and outdoor access points incorporating OpenRoaming for seamless user access and user and administrator management services via UDN and DNA Center to facilitate secure access across the Wi-Fi 6E network in a complex campus environment.”
5. Best Wi-Fi for Social Impact Award
   Winning Entry: Curvalux UK Ltd. and Globe Telecom for Sustainable Fixed Wireless Access solutions to connect billions of unconnected around the world
   “This is an interesting solution to connect people in developing countries who have no internet access because they are in hard-to-connect areas comprised of small islands and rural areas. I am most impressed with the $40 CPE.”
6. Best Wi-Fi Innovation Award
   Winning Entry: Cisco Systems for Cisco Catalyst 9104 stadium antenna, reengineering the way fans connect
   “Unique in that the antenna is a single unit combined with access point, and with PoE to ensure easy deployment even in temporary installations. Extends opportunity to build Wi-Fi networks in locations that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to service.”
7. CTO of the Year Award
   Winning Entry: Dr. Derek Peterson of Boingo Wireless
   “It’s great to see that Dr. Peterson pays significant attention not only to the commercial aspect of technology but to technology development as Greater Good.”

Tiago Rodrigues, CEO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance, said: “This year’s winners demonstrate how Wi-Fi continues to change lives for the better, including bridging the digital divide, providing sports fans with a richer experience at games, making smart homes even smarter and more. They also highlight the potential of Wi-Fi 6/6E and 6GHz spectrum for enabling even more innovation through higher capacity and speeds. We congratulate everyone involved — including our esteemed judges, who faced a difficult challenge with so many impressive entries.”

Registration for the remaining days of Congress can be completed here: https://www.wirelessglobalcongress.com/registration/

About the Wireless Broadband Alliance
Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) is the global organization that connects people with the latest Wi-Fi initiatives. Founded in 2003, the vision of the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) is to drive seamless, interoperable service experiences via Wi-Fi within the global wireless ecosystem. WBA’s mission is to enable collaboration between service providers, technology companies, cities, regulators and organizations to achieve that vision. WBA’s membership is comprised of major operators, identity providers and leading technology companies across the Wi-Fi ecosystem with the shared vision.

WBA undertakes programs and activities to address business and technical issues, as well as opportunities, for member companies. WBA work areas include standards development, industry guidelines, trials, certification and advocacy. Its key programs include NextGen Wi-Fi, OpenRoaming, 5G, IoT, Testing & Interoperability and Policy & Regulatory Affairs, with member-led Work Groups dedicated to resolving standards and technical issues to promote end-to-end services and accelerate business opportunities.

The WBA Board includes Airties, AT&T, Boingo Wireless, Broadcom, BT, Cisco Systems, Comcast, Deutsche Telekom AG, GlobalReach Technology, Google, Intel, Reliance Jio, SK Telecom and Viasat. For the complete list of current WBA members, click here: https://wballiance.com/join-us/current-members/.

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