BandwidthX launches Wi-Fi marketplace

An interesting new twist in the increasingly strategic world of carrier Wi-Fi – BandwidthX has created a service called Bandwidth Market, which allows mobile operators to buy Wi-Fi capacity on demand.

The cloud-based micro-commerce offering could complement, or replace, carriers’ own efforts to build hotspots and homespots, directly or in partnership with networks. The approaches of firms like DeviceScape and FON have also diversified their options, and BandwidthX brings another tool.

The service will officially launch at next week’s Wi-Fi Global Congress in London and allows participating WLan operators to sell capacity to mobile operators and MVNOs at specific times and locations. It works in a marketplace style, allowing customers to name their price and automatically connect their chosen devices. WISPs can offer their Wi-Fi capacity for sale at prices based on time, location and other parameters, while fees and policies for both buyers and sellers can be adjusted in real time according to conditions.

Bandwidth Market establishes a clearing price for each Wi-Fi capacity transaction. It says no changes are needed in Wi-Fi access points or mobile networks to participate though its application must be added to devices before trading.

Dr Pertti Visuri, CEO of BandwidthX, said: “Wi-Fi is abundant and inexpensive, but not adequately monetized. By enabling Wi-Fi micro-commerce, the BandwidthX platform ensures everybody in the Wi-Fi ecosystem is a winner.”