Press Releases

LAS VEGAS, NV, April 5, 2006 - Wi-Fi®/Mobile Convergence presents mobile carriers with a unique opportunity to differentiate themselves with subscribers, manage spectrum efficiently, and deliver a rich multimedia experience with ease. A new white paper, available for free download from www.wi-fi.org, outlines the factors that are leading carriers worldwide to embrace dual-mode phones. It explores the dynamic wireless broadband experience available to subscribers and describes Wi-Fi Alliance activities in support of convergence.

The paper, Wi-Fi Mobile Convergence: the Role of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, details current and upcoming programs from the Wi-Fi Alliance to support carriers with interoperability testing and detailed radio frequency performance mapping for converged Wi-Fi/mobile handsets. In addition, it provides information about other technological factors, including security, quality of service and power-saving features, which strengthen Wi-Fi's suitability for the carrier network environment.

"Wi-Fi Mobile Convergence presents tremendous benefit to carriers, manufacturers, and subscribers alike, and this is a very exciting market for our technology," said Wi-Fi Alliance Managing Director Frank Hanzlik. "We released this paper to highlight those benefits, including excellent coverage, reduced costs, and plenty of bandwidth to delight subscribers with rich content. We also wanted to provide detail about our plans to augment our certification programs for converged devices, as interoperability and RF performance will be critical enablers of this important market."

"With the maturity of Wi-Fi technology, strong interest from consumers, and the trend toward richer, more data-intensive applications on mobile devices, we expect convergence to gain tremendous traction in the coming 24 months," said Monica Paolini of Senza Fili Consulting, who authored the paper. "Wi-Fi Alliance certification programs will be a valuable resource to carriers as they deploy convergence handsets, and to consumers who look to a trusted brand in Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ when they choose their next phone."

Top-tier handset manufacturers, including Motorola, Nokia and Samsung, recognize the importance of Wi-Fi Alliance certification for their converged devices. These and other manufacturers have certified close to 20 handsets since August 2004. A complete list of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ devices, as well as the white paper, is available at www.wi-fi.org.

About the Wi-Fi Alliance
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global, non-profit industry association of more than 250 member companies devoted to promoting the growth of wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). With the aim of enhancing the user experience for mobile wireless devices, the Wi-Fi Alliance's testing and certification programs ensure the interoperability of WLAN products based on the IEEE 802.11 specification. Since the introduction of the Wi-Fi Alliance's certification program in March 2000, more than 2,500 products have been designated as Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services across the consumer and enterprise markets.

Wi-Fi®, Wi-Fi Alliance®, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ logo, and the Wi-Fi logo are registered trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance. WMM, WPA, WPA2, Wi-Fi ZONE, and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance.

For more information, contact: Michael Diamond, Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance, michael.diamond@edelman.com, 650-429-2772.