Page 14 - Highlight_Issue_2_FLIP_BOOK

PARTNER FOCUS

ONE GLOBAL NETWORK

WITH OPENROAMING
TM

By Bruno Tomas, Wireless Broadband Alliance

OpenRoaming by the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) is OpenRoaming brings together a federation of networks and
a federation service enabling an automatic and secure Wi-Fi identity providers, allowing users to join any network managed
experience everywhere, creating an open connectivity framework by a federation member. Companies who join the effort provide
for all organizations in the wireless ecosystem to power new assurance that their Wi-Fi networks automatically interoperate
opportunities with Wi-Fi in the 5G era. between each other to deliver an automatic and secure connected
Wi-Fi experience. In the end it enables companies to accelerate and
Effectively, OpenRoaming focuses on ease and scale of adoption by
network providers, from the basis of 3GPP Evolved Packet System scale roaming relationships. Enabled networks can automatically
(EPS) AAA interfaces, it effectively allows SWa interface to operate onboard users securely leveraging established identity providers
between those network providers and HPLMN. such as operators, cloud IDs, loyalty membership, bridging the
gap between Wi-Fi and cellular networks, enabling new business
OpenRoaming encompasses three key elements: models. Further, it works across Wi-Fi and cellular network
generations, such as 3G, LTE or 5G.
• Cloud federation: creates a federation of networks and identity
providers to enable automatic roaming and user onboarding 5G includes mandatory authentication options such as:
on Wi-Fi. Based on WBA’s Wireless Roaming Intermediary Authentication and Key Agreement (5G-AKA) and Extensible
eXchange (WRIX) standards to scale and facilitate different Authentication Protocol (EAP)-AKA’, i.e. EAP-AKA’. OpenRoaming
business models under a harmonized framework. leverage EAP authentication and fully realizes the vision of the
primary authentication to be radio access technology independent,
• Cyber Security: enables simple, secure and scalable Wi-Fi thus it can run over non-3GPP technology such as IEEE 802.11
connections amongst different organizations that are part of WLANs. The OpenRoaming standards group is working to expand
OpenRoaming. Allowing automatic and secure roaming between OpenRoaming to industry verticals and complementary access
millions of networks, nationally and globally with secured networks such as IoT/LPWAN and Private LTE/5G.
interconnection and encrypted communications.
WBA is looking forward to closely collaborating with 3GPP and
• Network automation: defines an automated roaming consortium other peers to resolve onboarding and security issues for the
codes framework (RCOI) to support policy provision on devices industry.
and networks. Organizations that manage a Passpoint enabled
network may become part of the OpenRoaming federation. https://wballiance.com

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