With the advent of DOCSIS 3.1, gigabit Internet speeds have become a reality for MSOs, and adding them to the menu of services is becoming less a bragging right and more a necessity. But one of the interesting conundrums for cable operators has been that although they can offer lightning-fast service to the home, the restrictions of WiFi have caused confusion for some customers expecting the gigabit offerings to improve service throughout their residence.
MSOs, after their gigabit upgrades, are now turning their attention to WiFi. Although the capability is not there yet to hike the speeds to 1 Gbps, there are enhancements to be made, and the news has been peppered with related announcements of late.
Cable ONE (NYSE:CABO), for example, launched WiFi ONE earlier this month. As part of this offering, technicians use signal mapping to determine the best location for the WiFi gateway in the customer's home and determine the proper hardware configuration based on the number of devices and layout of the home. This will reduce buffering and dead zones, the company said.
Likewise, Atlantic Broadband announced new home and small business WiFi services. Instead of a single access point, the enhanced services utilize wireless mesh access points from AirTies.
"The mesh network enables us to provide optimal coverage throughout the home," said David Isenberg, president and chief revenue officer at Atlantic Broadband. "The AirTies access points utilize a number of advanced tools, such as client steering and band steering to ensure devices get the best possible signal wherever they are. Better coverage and stronger signals mean faster speeds for the user, so all of these things are part of delivering the best possible experience in today's device- and streaming-centric world."
"Delivering the fastest Internet speed is always a priority for Atlantic Broadband, but with the Enhanced Home and Business WiFi service, maximum coverage, reliability and security in the home or office environment are also key benefits," Isenberg added.
He also noted that the ultimate goal is to deliver the best Internet experience to customers, which means cutting-edge speeds and state-of-the-art WiFi. In other words, the improvements in WiFi were not being made simply to satisfy the needs of only gigabit customers.
Atlantic Broadband has been pleased with the results of gigabit. "The technology is stable, and the customers who want gigabit speeds are thrilled," Isenberg said.
And as for WiFi, while mesh networking and other advanced capabilities being deployed now are a "giant leap" forward, the industry will continue developing antenna arrays and other techniques.
"(This) will enable wireless devices to work at their maximum capabilities, which are often well below gigabit speeds," Isenberg said.