by Stephanie Kinch, Staff Writer, Wi-Fi NOW <\/p>\n
An open-access Wi-Fi network infrastructure provider VAST is able to cover 10 million square meters of usable Wi-Fi space with their network. Internet access should be available to everyone and a country-wide Wi-Fi network can make it happen. <\/p>\n
Thats the goal of VAST Networks, an open-access Wi-Fi infrastructure provider in South Africa. With more than 10 million square meters of usable Wi-Fi space in their network, VAST is able to provide quality Wi-Fi access to areas that were previously unreachable in the country. <\/p>\n
VAST CEO Grant Marais says that before his company came along, South Africas Wi-Fi presence consisted of random collections of hotspots. <\/p>\n
When youre operating a collection of disparate internet hotspots, youre not able to offer differentiated services, he says. Youre only able to offer a linear internet service over those. <\/p>\n
Marais spoke about so-called Islands of Wi-Fi, and what can be done to create more cohesion among them, at Wi-Fi NOW Africa in Cape Town last month. He said that the issue in South Africa and many other countries is that multiple operators create islands of Wi-Fi hotspots that consumers are unable to co-survive on. If a person subscribes to one Wi-Fi access service, it likely not available everywhere he goes. This location-dominated philosophy is expensive the consumer. <\/p>\n
You kind of got left high and dry on your island by not being able to reuse it on someone elses island, says Marais. <\/p>\n
Thats why VAST Networks was formed: To create a ubiquitous service layer that any service provider or organization can use to offer a Wi-Fi product that consumers can access on the same basis everywhere they go. Operators like AlwaysOn have become VASTs customers. With VAST, Wi-Fi in South Africa is now more like open-access fiber, where customers can choose and select a Wi-Fi service based on the providers offering, rather than location. <\/p>\n
Wi-Fi for the masses <\/p>\n
Marais says that to get consumers hooked on Wi-Fi, its important to put access in terms that they will understand. How many Instagram posts equal a gig? How many megs does one minute on Facebook eat up? <\/p>\n
To help with this, VAST puts all the intelligence at the center of its network and has created a second layer network that faces inwards to, for example, pair with educational services or VoIP\/minutes services. This allows consumers to use the Wi-Fi as an on-net or LAN-type service. For poorer areas, a digital content area with news, sports, lifestyle, and employment services is available for free to show the value of the internet to people with little online experience. <\/p>\n
If we think about people who really need access to data that have never had it, its people who have an affordability issue, says Marais. <\/p>\n
With 2,200 access spots in South Africa, VAST Networks works to offer internet access from any place, any time, and anywhere. Read more at http:\/\/www.vast.network<\/a> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n View post: <\/p>\n VAST CEO calls for an end to 'Islands of Wi-Fi' in South Africa - Wi-Fi NOW News (press release) (registration) (blog)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Stephanie Kinch, Staff Writer, Wi-Fi NOW An open-access Wi-Fi network infrastructure provider VAST is able to cover 10 million square meters of usable Wi-Fi space with their network. Internet access should be available to everyone and a country-wide Wi-Fi network can make it happen Continue reading