Complicated log-ons putting users off of public WiFi

There are many establishments, such as restaurants, coffee shops, and hotels, that offer their customers with free WiFi access. Some offer them for free, while others still charge a minimal fee. Either way, it’s a huge convenience to be able to access the Internet while you’re sipping some hot coffee or waiting for your meal to be served. Most places that have free WiFi have stuck the WiFi logo decal or placed a sign on their door indicating that they are offering free access. An interesting thing to note is that users are now growing increasingly keen on being able to have WiFi access, especially when they’re at hotels, as it has become vital to do business and keep up to date with their personal and professional communications.

However, before users can sign in and access the WiFi service, most public networks requires its users to log-in to the system first. Some log-in systems require just a click or tap of an “I agree” or “Connect” button, while others are more complicated and clunky.

Obviously, it is these clunky log-ins that many users have a problem with. In fact, logging in has become so much of a chore for some users that they forego accessing the free WiFi connection instead. Despite this, broadband providers are still extending their surface areas to more and more public places and establishments.

Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) chair and BT Openzone chief Chris Bruce stated: “The findings show we are about to enter the golden age of public Wi-Fi, with hotspot deployments set to soar. Fixed operators are extending broadband services beyond the home and office, and Wi-Fi is supporting busy mobile broadband networks.”

The main driver for such WiFi proliferation is the increased mobile data demand, which was earlier reported by Ericsson to have doubled within the last twelve months. It used to be that users mostly accessed the Internet on their laptops while they were on the go, but that, too, is slowly changing.

WBA’s reported stated: “Laptops now represent less than half (48 percent) of the connections to hotspots, with smartphones now encompassing 36 percent and tablets already on 10 percent. In [the Asia-Pacific region], smartphones already outnumber laptop connections, while in North America and Latin America, smartphones and laptops represent the same number of connections.”

Aside from detailing their findings, the WBA also recommended that networks make use of simpler authentication techniques for their WiFi services. The organisation also called for networks to instalautomated authentication systems as well.

Source – ZDNet