The socio-economic impact of Wi-Fi around the world ZDNet

People around the world are coming to depend on an Internet connection for multiple aspects of their professional and personal lives. Wi-Fi provides this ability to connect, and it becomes difficult to maintain your level of productivity or your daily habits without being connected.

How do you get directions, message friends and family, or even find out the weather forecast? In the last year, we have even come to use Wi-Fi for essential services, such as telehealth, e-learning and telecommuting. It has become indispensable to our daily life.

However, did you know that more than 4 billion people in the world do not have access to the internet? And that globally, only 55% of households have an internet connection – this figure drops to less than 20% in the poorest countries?

It is essential to reflect on the important role that Wi-Fi plays in connecting cities and communities, while recognizing its potential to accelerate socio-economic development and promote affordable connection for those who do not yet benefit from it. in the world.

Understanding the Value of Wi-Fi

A recent study commissioned by the Wi-Fi Alliance estimates that the annual global economic value of Wi-Fi will reach more than $3 trillion in 2021, rising to $5 trillion in 2025, a forecast of 150% growth between 2018 and 2025, which highlights the significant economic contribution of Wi-Fi.

The study assessed the economic value of Wi-Fi in 15 countries based on several key factors and developments impacting the Wi-Fi industry, including free Wi-Fi in public places, savings made by consumers using the internet at home and by connecting to Wi-Fi rather than the mobile network, the pandemic and the new frequency allocations which allow the further development of innovation, to reduce network congestion and to improve throughput.

The Internet has become a dominant part of the telecommunications infrastructure in France and 78% of households in the country have Internet access. In France, there are more than 1.2 million free Wi-Fi access points and 87% of broadband subscribers in France have Wi-Fi access at home.

According to a Médiamétrie study made public in February 2021, the French have never spent so much time on the web in 2020: 2h25 per day and per person, two-thirds of which via their smartphone, which represents an increase of 15% compared to 2019. This is why access to a high-speed Wi-Fi connection is crucial to meet the new standards that the health crisis has generated.

The economic value of Wi-Fi in France results from the growing importance of free Wi-Fi, increasing speeds, IoT deployments and the growing adoption of AR/VR. The economic value of Wi-Fi in France will reach $63 billion this year and is expected to rise to $104 billion by 2025.

Societal Benefits of Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is a key driver of economic growth, but its benefits go beyond the economy. Wi-Fi offers:

A recent study shows that over the past year, Wi-Fi has improved economic resilience and helped mitigate the negative effects of the global pandemic. Wi-Fi has proven to be a key driver of digital resilience and innovation, delivering benefits to both developed and emerging economies.

Wi-Fi enables services that can support advanced applications and is a key element of global efforts to bridge the digital divide in rural and remote areas. It also provides a necessary platform for free internet access in developing countries which makes it essential for economic resilience – by increasing economic growth and improving social mobility and computer literacy.

For example, KT has done remarkable work in Bangladesh, deploying high-speed Wi-Fi infrastructure that has improved education through distance learning, health care through telemedicine, and agriculture in collaboration with the country's government authorities.

Advances in Wi-Fi bring connectivity where it's needed most

Regulators around the world are recognizing the socio-economic value of Wi-Fi, highlighting what the perfect combination of performance at an affordable price, efficient operation in unlicensed spectrum, a commitment to security, ease of use, self-deployment, and long-term compatibility that provide a foundation to address a variety of connectivity use cases.

Due to the tremendous value, essential services, and new opportunities that Wi-Fi can bring to citizens around the world, there is global pressure to open the 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi use.

Using 6 GHz Wi-Fi, or Wi-Fi 6E, will provide greater capacity, wider bandwidth, and lower latency to deliver the connectivity users are accustomed to. Combined, the widespread adoption of Wi-Fi, new technologies and additional frequency will allow users to have connectivity where they need it most.

The ongoing evolution of Wi-Fi is making a huge difference in bringing people together - allowing everyone to connect from any device, from anywhere. A day without Wi-Fi is almost unimaginable, but we need to ensure that users everywhere have this essential connection to meet their needs.