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TECH BYTES 44 airportbusiness May 2015 Those trends have created a quantum shift in the way that new networks are designed and existing networks are upgraded. The industry needed to reimagine the connected passenger experience and ultimately this led to Boingo's introduction of the S.M.A.R.T. WiFi net- work, which stands for Secure, Multi-platform, Analytics-Driven, Responsive and Tiered. A revolutionary network approach to deliv- ering super-fast and personalized connectiv- ity options, S.M.A.R.T. network deployments include multiple classes of WiFi services aimed at unique user/application profiles, allowing the network to intelligently manage the various types of usage across a public WiFi network. A typical S.M.A.R.T. network may include the following classes: • Complimentary WiFi, providing users the ability to handle "basic" connectivi- ty requirements, such as e-mail and web browsing. Depending on the venue, this level of service could be supported by adver- tising or sponsorship. • A "Turbo Boost" premium tier of service, available for power users who want to stream media. • "Enterprise WiFi," a super-fast tier of ser- vice designed for frequent business travel- ers who need the airport WiFi network to function as an enterprise tool. GET SMART WITH S.M.A.R.T. Aligning differing application, user and usage profiles within a single WiFi environment requires a reimagining of the network from the ground up. Conventional network thinking surrounds "throwing bandwidth at the prob- lem," and in the WiFi world, "throwing access points (APs) at the problem" when connectivity issues arise. In fact, capacity is only part of the challenge, and in today's dynamic mobile appli- cation world, WiFi networks need to be equally responsive to changing needs. The needs of travelers vary greatly between leisure passen- gers seeking access to social media, compared to business travelers that need airport WiFi to serve as an extension of their workplace net- work. S.M.A.R.T. networks improve customer satisfaction and ensure operational efficiency, cost management and monetization oppor- tunities for airports because they are built to prioritize a wide range of application require- ments for both passengers and venues across a high-capacity infrastructure.. According to MMGY Global, travelers that carry at least two devices represent a third of all passengers today. Serving the increasing demands and changing needs of air travelers means airports need to think outside of the box to meet speed, service and data demands. S.M.A.R.T. networks help airports navigate this challenge with network insights, loca- tion based service (LBS) options, responsiveness and scalability while providing more choice and security for passengers. Airports are also increas- ingly reliant on non-aeronau- tical revenue. S.M.A.R.T. networks deliver additional opportunities for moneti- zation with ad-supported complimentary WiFi, keep- ing end-users happy as well as helping airports protect the bottom line. Similarly, location-aware design mea- sures traffic flow and location throughout the network, pro- viding actionable analytic insights to airports to opti- mize the in-venue experience of concessions. INSIDE S.M.A.R.T. At the heart of S.M.A.R.T.'s flexibility is Boingo's proprietary software-defined network (SDN) and network functions virtualization (NFV) technology. Driving responsiveness to key network processes, SDN and NFV cloud-based network management is built on industry- standard hardware, delivering scalability while adapting to user demands and agility in man- aging multiple network functions. A new way of deploying network infrastructure, SDN sup- ports the network automation to orchestrate traffic flow while NFV focuses on the services required to align with the virtualized environ- ments they are supporting. The advancement of these technologies encourages networks to keep pace with innovation. Specific to connectivity and credential security, end-users concerned with pub- lic WiFi network protection need not worry as all S.M.A.R.T. networks are enabled with Passpoint technology, a powerful new wireless industry standard that makes connecting to WiFi as easy and secure as cellular. Passpoint supports WPA2 (Wireless Protected Access 2) encryption standards, providing enterprise- level security while employing security config- urations that protect the core network. Now available for airports worldwide, the first S.M.A.R.T. network installations launched in select U.S. airports in the first quarter of this year. Ultimately, S.M.A.R.T. networks are built for the future based on their design to scale for consumer data, application, operational and customer support needs. Boingo's converged design for airport WiFi promises that wireless infrastructure can extend state-of-the-art services to travelers without sacrificing the fundamental need for speed and capacity. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Marc Paterson, Vice President of Products, Boingo Wireless Marc Patterson is responsible for the overall speci- fication, development and management of Boingo's diverse mobility portfolio, including Boingo's WiFi, small cell/Distributed Antenna System (DAS), S.M.A.R.T networks and Boingo Broadband services, as well as the company's web and mobile applications. Patterson brings more than 25 years of customer-focused, mar- ket-leading service development experience in wire- less, mobility and security to Boingo. www.aviationpros.com/10017751