Alcatel-Lucent unveils mobile Wi-Fi solution

Alcatel-Lucent has unveiled lightRadio, a Wi-Fi solution enabling users to access the internet on smartphones, tablets or laptops, over secure Wi-Fi connections in homes or at hotspot locations.

LightRadio tackles the confusion of hotspots and cellular networks to find and connect with the best available wireless broadband network, while helping communications service providers extend their reach by integrating Wi-Fi directly into their service offerings.

It allows users to switch automatically from a cellular service to residential or public Wi-Fi networks and hotspots without having to login, worry about payments schemes, or even be aware of the shift.

The software does it in three ways including- using software that identifies and connects people to a 'trusted' network automatically; by introducing new capabilities into service provider networks to manage the transition between Wi-Fi and cellular networks; and by integrating Wi-Fi directly into small-cell base stations and cellular networks.

The solution also sorts the issue of security by finding the most trusted network.

''With lightRadio Wi-Fi, Alcatel-Lucent gives service providers new options to meet consumers' fast-growing broadband requirements.

Extending our groundbreaking lightRadio portfolio, service providers

will be able to build closer relationships with their customers by

delivering seamless high-speed broadband connections, wherever they are, using LTE and Wi-Fi networks,'' said Wim Sweldens, president, wireless division, Alcatel-Lucent.