Wi-Fi might be a fixture in homes, offices, and restaurant franchises across the country, but thus far ISP giants have yet to offer hotspot installation services for public-facing small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
Fortunately, German networking firm Ituma GmbH and Silicon Valley-based Ruckus Wireless can help.
The companies have jointly released a Wi-Fi platform that combines hardware, software, and marketing features into a secure, scalable solution that Ituma’s technicians can install for businesses of any size.
Using a Ruckus Wireless access point as an anchor and a Wireless Access Gateway (WAG) to authorize users, Ituma’s “Carrier Grade Solution” promises a wireless experience equal to any enterprise-level ISP, with a focus minimizing downtime and data security.
Its content management system, “Admin Care – Web Portal,” also gives network operators access to an extensive toolkit, including an inventory of access points, monitoring and reporting capabilities, and integrated databases, while its technical infrastructure is designed to accommodate high user volumes.
“Comprehensive monitoring and reporting tools ensure a dependable customer experience, with smooth “ticketing” functionality and swift inquiry resolution, and the authentication of use requests is fully automatic,” Ituma wrote in an Aug. 5 press release announcing the service.
And, as Ituma points out, not only will installing a new Wi-Fi hotspot in your store endear your business to customers eager for more comprehensive public Internet access, it also gives your business a new marketing platform: the service’s “B2B web portal” allows companies to create branded landing pages – or better still, rent out their hotspots to other businesses and use it as a platform to provide customized content.
