Liberty Global is installing Devicescape’s automated connectivity solution to allow its customers to connect to the vendor’s Wi-Fi network.
Devicescape manages a curated virtual network (CVN) of Wi-Fi hotspots across Europe. Liberty Global said the move would allow its customers to improve smartphone connectivity, particularly indoors.
It builds upon the implementation of Devicescape’s technology in Liberty Global’s UK arm, Virgin Media, in early 2014.
Emma Mohr-McClune, Service Director, Global Consumer Group at Current Analysis, said: “The writing’s on the wall here for European incumbents. Challengers large and small are all starting to embrace Wi-Fi as a key strategy enabler, and the competitive impact goes beyond wireless. In this case, Liberty Global will be leveraging Devicescape’s solution to enhance quad-play value and differentiation, across multiple markets.”
Graeme Oxby, Managing Director, European Mobile Operations, Liberty Global, said: “Wi-Fi is essential to our mobile strategy, boosting coverage and capacity — particularly indoors — while driving economic efficiencies which we can pass on to our customers. By combining Wi-Fi and cellular as we are able to with the Devicescape solution, we are also delivering a significant improvement to the customer experience.”
In November last year, Liberty Global rolled out a 1GBps Wi-Fi gateway for its customers across Europe and Latin America. Telenet in Belgium and UPC in Romania were the first companies to receive the product.
The company is also aiming to grow the number of Wi-Fi hotspots it operates across Europe to 10 million by the end of this year.