It’s not WiFi’s fault. It’s not that the technology itself is dumb. It’s actually that we haven’t fully grasped just how powerful wireless communications could be. WiFi is a highway, a platform, a tool. We can do so much more with it if we start thinking outside the router box. Here are three smart ways to evolve standard WiFi into Smart WiFi.
Hospitals Should be Smarter
For years, WiFi has proven to be a useful tool for hospitals. From wayfinding to temperature control, the applications are limitless. Still, there are a couple of glaring concerns facing healthcare WiFi – security and usage. Inside hospitals, a secure network is not only practical for visitors but is critical in protecting confidential patient information.
As patient records become more and more digitized, a potential hack could compromise a plethora of confidential patient records. A network breach puts the hospital at risk of being in major violation of HIPPA. Hospitals have to make security the first priority – even when it comes to WiFi.
Once the network is secure, the next challenge is speed, access, and controlling usage. Hospital visitors expect fast, uninterrupted access, while operations demand constant use of bandwidth. Network and device isolation create separate WiFi networks – one for guests and one for hospital use.
These challenges have simple solutions that are already in use. A smart WiFi platform is perfect for a hospital’s WiFi security as it helps prevent WiFi users from seeing other devices. Finding devices that are using the same WiFi signal is one way a hacker can steal information. WiFi helps put a stop to that because it prevents WiFi users from fining other devices despite being on the same network.
Now, imagine the possibilities. Data shared instantly across the hospital. No matter which room a patient moved to — Registration, OR, Recovery — their data would move with them. Doctors and staff could access patient records at the touch of a button. And imagine the patient experience. What if you could order room service from a tablet in your room, or even better, straight from your WiFi-enabled phone? You could signal a nurse, complete paperwork, explore content, and even ask your doctor questions.
Connected WiFi Communities
WiFi is evolving from a luxury into a necessity. It’s no stretch of the imagination to assume it will soon be viewed as a public utility. Something that helps make communities smarter. There are communities around the country (and around the world) already working toward this goal. While these offer free WiFi at multiple spots around town, having a WiFi network that covers the entire community is still a work in progress.
The implications are profound. A connected city could be more secure, respond faster to a natural disaster or other emergencies. Traffic patterns could be tracked through presence analytics, so cities could plan safer pedestrian routes, traffic lights, etc. Imagine being able to stay connected to your city’s WiFi no matter where you are at. With a city-wide WiFi connection, the technological conveniences are endless.Â
Connected communities are also important for brick-and-mortar businesses of all shapes and sizes. With city-wide WiFi, municipalities have a unique tool to advertise local businesses and encourage both locals and tourists to shop within the immediate local area. A connected community is crucial to bridging the gap that is present between local businesses and potential shoppers.
Wireless for All
The last hurdle is wireless access. By connecting wireless networks from one community to another — state to state, country to country — we could blanket the world in a WiFi signal. Imagine what this could deliver to education systems in isolated, rural parts of the world? And beyond. Ideas with equal access to WiFi could mean more ideas, new ideas, and specifically more ideas from underrepresented populations. Who knows? A little girl in Motuo, Tibet might be dreaming up an even better alternative to 5G.  The only limit to WiFi is us. We have to start thinking, “What can WiFi do for me? How could WiFi solve this problem?”
Are you ready to use the smartest version of WiFi that is out there? With GoZone WiFi’s Smart WiFi Solutions, venues from coffee shops to medical campuses can access to intelligent data and secure WiFi. Help create safer, simpler and more efficient WiFi for all.  Contact us today to learn more.
