The start of the year has seen a flurry of predictions from technology analysts, attempting to pick the trends that will ignite in 2016. Here, we take a look at what’s set to be hot for Wifi.

IN THE HOME

There has been a lot of talk about the ‘smart home’ over the last few years, and 2016 will see more of the much-hyped Internet of Things technologies making it into our homes. With the broad array of connected ‘things’ – thermostats, locks and lighting, to beds, cookware and sound systems – now available, there is sure to be a fight for bandwidth in the home.

2016 will see further innovations in WiFi standards, bringing with them much-needed improvements in speed, capacity and reliability for networks. This will allow us to communicate more effectively with the influx of new devices, and vice versa. The potential for even more wireless devices in our lives has never been greater.

ON THE STREET

With ‘smart cities’ a frequent trending topic, and digital inclusion something that councils and local authorities are constantly looking towards, WiFi is becoming a must-have in towns and cities on a street-level.

By installing such networks, and increasing internet connectivity for residents and visitors, councils will see greater revenues, lower costs from improvements to infrastructure management, as well as lower overheads.

IN THE STADIUM

With Euro 2016 and the Rio Olympics taking place, the sporting calendar is a packed one in 2016, and WiFi could be an important factor in their success. Fans will be looking to share huge amounts of photos, videos, tweets and posts about their experiences as they happen, and robust WiFi networks are vital for this to work effectively.

For stadium and arena owners, WiFi is the key to unlock the door to fan engagement, improving the stadium or arena experience and increasing revenues.

IN THE CLOUD

With services such as Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive and Apple iCloud offering low-cost, reliable and fast access to our documents, photos and movies on the move, 2016 will see more of us moving our data to cloud storage solutions. The availability of fast, reliable – and most importantly, when out of the home – free WiFi, is something users of these services will rely on.

Wired connections are quickly becoming relegated to the data centre, but WiFi is continuing to evolve, outpacing mobile traffic, and cementing its place as the go-to for reliable connectivity.

intechnologyWiFi is part of InTechnology plc and is owned by Peter Wilkinson, one of the UK’s most successful technology entrepreneurs, with a proven track record of delivering profitable, free technical solutions, including the first free consumer internet service, Freeserve.