Wi-Fi with a Spectrum Broker is More Resilient to COVID-19 Surge

One in three human beings are currently confined at home as per government-imposed restrictions due to COVID-19. As businesses and consumers around the world adjust their routines amid the new social restrictions, the Internet is being used at a scale that the world has never experienced before. Fast and reliable broadband at home has become the lifeline to millions for work, education, socialization, and entertainment. Various sources referenced in this paper have reported average growth of internet traffic at 40% and a decrease in download speeds of more than 13% in various countries as a result of school closures and shelter-at-home orders.

Managing the quality of broadband experience in the home is more than ever a priority for service providers, and Wi-Fi is at center stage of that effort. Quality of Experience (QoE) now goes beyond speed to include lower latency required to support 4/8K, gaming, video, and collaboration applications. As a result, service providers are now increasingly taking ownership of the Wi-Fi experience, while OTTs (such as Netflix and Zoom) are innovating with video techniques to guarantee a better QoE.