For this vignette of a recent episode of the Futurum Tech Webcast, Part of the 5G Factor series, analysts Ron Westfall and Shelly Kramer discussed expansion of the Boingo Wireless AWS partnership with Boingo Wireless integrating AWS edge and cloud services with the company’s own converged network offering and its impact on select industry verticals.
Their discussion covered:
- How the Boingo Wireless AWS partnership is using DAS (distributed antenna systems), WiFi, and private networks to improve the overall wireless experience.
- The partnership’s focus on key verticals such as airports, stadiums, manufacturing, and healthcare/medical facilities as well as large enterprises with advanced wireless networking needs and how it can accelerate adoption of cloud-based wireless services.
- Why the expanded partnership can play a pivotal role in delivering the touchless experience to wireless network users.
Ron and Shelly find the expanded Boingo Wireless AWS alliance delivers the capabilities required to augment the overall wireless user experience, including touchless interactions, and demonstrates how ecosystem collaboration can bring out the improved outcomes through the interworking of 5G and WiFi technologies and that 5G and WiFi are not conflicting technologies in many key use case scenarios.
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Transcript:
Shelly Kramer: We’re going to wrap up this show talking about one last interesting partnership and this is between Boingo Wireless and AWS. So if you are a frequent traveler or if you go to stadium venues, you are probably familiar with Boingo Wireless. And there was already a partnership between Boingo Wireless and AWS, but they have just announced an expansion of that partnership. And Boingo Wireless is integrating AWS edge and cloud services with their own converged network offering. This is going to be implemented with things like distributed antenna systems and wifi and other private network deployments, and where we’re going to see this is in stadiums and airports and manufacturing facilities and healthcare facilities, and really other large enterprises are all key candidates for this kind of an expanded partnership. I think it’s pretty cool and I think it’s important.
I was in Chicago O’Hare in the last week after a quick trip to visit one of my daughters. And so this caught my attention in terms of an example of this in use. So Boingo recently launched a new private network at O’Hare Airport using Citizens Broadband Radio Service spectrum and connecting IoT devices that power essential airport services. And what they’re trying to do with this is that they want to transition to more touchless experiences for passengers. Who’s not in favor of that, right? The more touchless, the better for me.
O’Hare also recently launched a virtual customer service center and its Travelers Aid station, and it needed its own wireless network to facilitate live video chats with onsite passengers and remote staff. So when you think about the use cases here, I think that’s what’s really important and where AWS comes in is of course their cloud and edge capabilities that are powering that. So what users get is fast speed, high quality video, better customer service all the way around. Again, whether you’re in a stadium watching a sporting event or at a concert, or whether you’re in an airport or other facility, I think this is really interesting. I like seeing the expansion of this partnership and I think it’s pretty cool.
Ron Westfall: Yeah. I agree. I think it’s another great example of how this is really an ecosystem play. It shows that when it comes to 5G and wifi, in many cases, it’s not an either or proposition. They can definitely coexist and complement each other. And I think the airport example’s a wonderful one because I know myself and many folks we know, when you walk into an airport, you’re probably using 4G or 5G on your phone. And when you have to sit down and do something on a laptop while waiting for the flight to take off, you will gladly switch over to the wifi service that’s offered. And in many cases it’s Boingo. It could trademark, but other times it could be labeled by the local airport authority and so on. It’s just, again, another I think a great example of how players can collaborate to make things better for customers, for [inaudible]. And so this is, I think, a good example of how the wifi is [inaudible] that can be integral to making better experiences for folks out there.
Shelly Kramer: And that’s what it’s all about. That’s what 5G is all about. Right? Better experiences, more innovation, all kinds of exciting things.
Author Information
Ron is an experienced, customer-focused research expert and analyst, with over 20 years of experience in the digital and IT transformation markets, working with businesses to drive consistent revenue and sales growth.
Ron holds a Master of Arts in Public Policy from University of Nevada — Las Vegas and a Bachelor of Arts in political science/government from William and Mary.
