Speeding deployment of intelligent WiFi mesh networks

The open-source reference implementation will be hosted by the prpl Foundation, with both organizations’ members contributing to the project. Alongside this, the Broadband Forum has launched the Open Broadband Multi-AP project, a leading-edge initiative with the goal of ensuring that the software of open-source innovators, like prpl Foundation, and their mesh software projects will be scalable to large service provider deployments via carrier grade manageability. The two organizations will foster a vibrant open-source community to contribute and maintain the reference implementation.

“An open-source approach will greatly speed the deployment of multi-vendor mesh networks for efficient, self-configuring, whole-home Wi-Fi coverage,” said prpl Foundation President Art Swift. “The prplMesh project is intended to make it easy for service providers and OEMs to develop interoperable Wi-Fi CERTIFIED EasyMesh products.”

Broadband Forum CEO Robin Mersh said: “Whether it’s VR, AR, UHD TV, 5G-based services, artificial intelligence, or any of a myriad of cutting-edge new technologies and services, technology-savvy consumers are demanding that services leveraging these innovations incorporate the highest standard of Wi-Fi, backed by a world-class fixed broadband infrastructure. This new project will enable home and small business network coverage to be seamlessly expanded via open-source software, saving the expense of rebuilding access points from scratch. Furthermore, as end-user expectations continue to rise, Wi-Fi upgrades will become commensurately simpler and more cost-efficient.”

“Wi-Fi Alliance applauds the efforts by prpl Foundation and Broadband Forum to accelerate the development of devices implementing the Wi-Fi Alliance Multi-AP Specification,” said Kevin Robinson, VP Marketing at Wi-Fi Alliance. “Device vendors will benefit from the accelerated time to certification for the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED EasyMesh™ program, providing solutions to market quickly.”

Peter Joyce, Director Connectivity CPE Architecture at Liberty Global, added: "Standardization of communication and data in residential Multi-AP environments will help Liberty Global and other service providers provide increasingly effective support and management of customers’ in-home networks. The recently released Wi-Fi Alliance EasyMesh certification program will play an important role in standardizing the communication element. The development of an open-source implementation of the underlying standard will be key to enhancing the adoption rate, and Liberty Global fully supports the initiative."

prplMesh Controllers and Agents will be based upon the Wi-Fi Alliance Multi-AP Specification, and may be submitted for Wi-Fi CERTIFIED EasyMesh testing, making prplMesh easy to integrate into various product platforms. Equipment manufacturers will also be able to easily extend the architecture for product differentiation, for example, with different transmission prioritization or different signal broadcasting capabilities.

The Broadband Forum intends to lead and manage the development of carrier grade interfaces to service provider management systems, including new management data models needed to manage networks with Wi-Fi CERTIFIED EasyMesh devices. The Broadband Forum is also addressing TR-069/TR-369 management of ISP-provided devices.

A number of service providers, OEMs, and technology vendors will contribute to the prplMesh project, including Altran, ARRIS International plc, ASSIA, AT&T, BT, CableLabs, Dasan Zhone (DZS), Greenwave Systems, Huawei, Intel, Iopsys, Liberty Global, MaxLinear, MediaTek, Nokia, Plume, QA Cafe, Quantenna, SmartRG, SoftAtHome, and Vodafone. The Broadband Forum and prpl Foundation also welcome new memberships from companies who would like to get involved in the work.