The ‘always on, always connected’ lifestyle is moving ever closer. Globally, smartphones are out-shipping PCs and as mobile devices grow in power, so too do the expectations of end-users.

However, truly seamless connectivity has always been something of a Holy Grail. 3G networks are famously precarious at times and while Wi-Fi has done a stellar job in plugging the holes in network coverage, the user experience has been far from ideal. Landing pages, paywalls and login credentials have meant that even though Wi-Fi was a great resource, it still left a lot to be desired; that is until very recently.

Wi-Fi roaming allows devices to seamlessly hop between hotspots and cell towers without any interaction or input from the user. In much the same fashion that a mobile phone is seamlessly passed from one cell to another, Wi-Fi roaming will bring wireless hotspots into the mobile network fold.

A revolution in mobile data

This could perhaps be the single biggest step towards universal data connectivity since the advent of WAP, GPRS and subsequent mobile data standards. It is disruptive in many ways:

The footprint of the mobile data network can now traverse almost all corners of the globe. The topography of land, regulations surrounding the erection of cell towers, the limitations of the cellular network; all of the barriers which have stood in the way of a fully ubiquitous network are suddenly overcome.

Out of the technology, new relationships will emerge. Much like the roaming agreements formed out of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network, internet service providers, mobile carriers and hotspot providers will forge partnerships in order to ensure that the service they provide meets the expectations of a data hungry consumer base.

This new homogenous network infrastructure will allow carriers to offload mobile data traffic to small cells, freeing up valuable spectrum. Mobile service providers will be able to re-evaluate their data management policies, giving their customers the data they crave with little or no limitations.

Perhaps most importantly, the end-user experience will be transformed. The hassle that has plagued Wi-Fi hotspots will be a thing of the past and users will be able to access data safe in the knowledge that their device, their mobile service provider and the hotspot are all working in harmony, without any need for manual intervention. Across the board, mobile connectivity will become infinitely easier.

What are the challenges?

The technology is already here; but in order for Wi-Fi roaming to meet its true potential, a series of things need to fall into place. For Wi-Fi roaming to become truly interoperable, there needs to be standardisation across all elements involved – from mobile device, to access point, to service provider.

In order for Wi-Fi roaming to become a truly disruptive innovation, there needs to be very little fragmentation in deployments. Wi-Fi service providers, mobile service providers and hardware manufacturers must all work to the same guidelines and standards or risk disintegration, rendering the technology ineffective.

Fortunately, the mobile industry has recognised this and has partnered with the likes of the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) in order to ensure end-to-end interoperability. From security and device authentication to network implementations and billing mechanisms, the industry is working towards a ubiquitous framework in order to push the technology forward.

Recently WBA has launched the Interoperability Compliance Program (ICP) which builds on the specifications which the organisation laid out in 2007. The end-goal is not only to ensure interoperability but to encourage partners from across the entire spectrum of the industry to forge relationships.

The partners span all areas of the mobile ecosystem and include the biggest names in the industry, such as AT&T, BT, Orange, NTT DoCoMo, China Mobile, Cisco, LG, Intel, Ericsson, CableLabs, MediaTek, Mosaik Solutions, NEC BIGLOBE, Qualcomm, Sharedband, Smith Micro, Spice Digital, Telkom Indonesia and Telecom New Zealand.

Major smartphone manufacturers such as Samsung and Apple are already shipping certified devices while the WBA and its partners continue to trial the technology.

Thanks to massive effort from across the industry, consumers can expect to begin seeing Wi-Fi roaming rolling out in the very near future and finally, the Holy Grail of connectivity will be found.