When users find the network congestion while surfing public access points Wi-Fi, the problem can be attributed to the cost of network installation and supply, and the size of the device to access the Web, analysts say .
Bryan Wang, president of Asia-Pacific research associate vice president connectivity Springboard Research, told ZDNet Asia that the challenge of installing Wi-Fi hotspot is less about a technical problem about efficiency in terms utilization and cost.
The more access points can be added to minimize congestion of Wi-Fi network when traffic gets heavy, this will result in low utilization during periods of low traffic rush hour, Wang said in an email interview .
Although additional access points can be turned off, from a business perspective, organizations that provide public access are, inevitably, remains concerned about the costs of bandwidth and maintenance costs incurred to keep the network running, he said.
J. Ramesh Babu, director of managed services for Cisco Systems Mexico, added that another reason for the cessation of Wi-Fi may be in the fact that the use of legacy equipment and aging is still prevalent today.
Using old client technology will slow down network performance, especially with the amount of rich media and data transmitted to mobile devices, Babu, said in an e-mail.
He added that the challenges associated with the deployment of Wi-Fi hotspots or outdoor can be overcome with the network settings and the right tools and proper planning. For example, suggested that site owners must install a solution that can support a wide variety of devices such as Wi-Fi Internet Protocol phones, laptops and mobile phones with the dual mode capability, and are able to run on both cellular and Wi–Fi networks.
He noted that the wireless coverage range of the access point may be affected by structures such as walls, metal cabinets and elevator shafts. There may also be interference from cordless phones, Bluetooth and other wireless devices, he added.
The supplier of W-Fi services can solve this through tools that can detect and automatically mitigate RF (radio frequency) interference by configuring the wireless network to work around the source of interference.
Consumers expect Wi-Fi access
Babu said that access to the “pervasive Wi-Fi is a reasonable expectation” of today’s consumers because more companies are now mobilizing employees, partners, customers, and even corporate assets.
senior consultant at Ovum, Craig Skinner, agreed. He noted that the increasing use of mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones, along with notebooks and netbooks are fueling demand for bandwidth Wi-Fi.
Ovum analyst added that the public Wi-Fi networks, if designed for it, can handle high traffic density of a mixture of mobile devices as smart phones and lists as well as larger devices such as laptops. Wang reiterating views on resource requirements, Skinner said the question, however, goes back to how the costs of construction of this network are covered.
In an email interview, explained that it is “realistic” to expect the same level of network performance in an open access, where the network is funded with public money, as provided for in a technology conference .
Described many times, public access Wi-Fi is free as an incentive to attract consumers to a place or to persuade businesses to hold events in one place or another. But ultimately, the costs of infrastructure and operation of free public access must still be paid, Skinner said.
Because users are not directly paying for the service, there is less incentive for the operator place to go in providing high quality network service, especially for times when heavy use is anticipated, he said.
Also, the analyst noted that the size of the device – access to the Wi-Fi – also plays an important role in the quality of access. He explained that the size of the antenna and the transmitting power level, may limit both the range of network detection and interference level of the device can continue to operate in.
Therefore, when the smaller devices like mobile phones seem to “fight” to connect in a situation of high congestion, which is the result of design tradeoffs in terms of size, not because the network has been clipped, Skinner continued .
Asked if the expectations of consumers of Wi-Fi service has increased – due to the increase in mobile devices, mobile workforce and even Wi-Fi access on board aircraft – Trampoline Wang said Wi-Fi is not a solution mobility.
“Wi-Fi can not support the faster hand from one conflict to another,” he said. “Because of their limited coverage [front] with 3G or WiMax, Wi-Fi if you use a mobility solution when moving, it takes a lot of transfer of the network will have a lot of resources from the network. Therefore, Wi-Fi is not a practical technology for use as a mobility solution. “