The use of small capacity Wi-Fi in coffee shops and other hospitality venues in Botswana is not only frustrating users with loss of connection but also puts them at the risk of being victims of hacking if not carefully monitored.
According to Michael Fletcher, sales director at Ruckus Wireless (sub-Saharan Africa), there is a need to differentiate between ordinary Wi-Fi with routers best used for households and quality Wi-Fi that will enable fast and better connection. “Smart carrier grade Wi-Fi is ideal to work in an environment where a lot of connections are made to the system,” he said. He said in this competitive environment and having free quality Wi-Fi could be the difference between getting people to walk through your business doors and having an empty shop.
He spoke to Gazette Business ahead of the Solutions Showcase event to be held in Gaborone this week that will discuss the deployment of Wi-Fi in Africa. “Using a consumer device for your business can put your clients at risk. A quality connection on the other hand will reduce this risk as it provides a wireless client isolation connection,” he said, further indicating that this will lessen chances of a hacker zoning in a particular connected device.
He however, said while a lot businesses would like to upgrade their Wi-Fi systems, the cost of internet connection in Botswana is still a hindrance. According to Ruckus Wireless, they enable carriers and enterprises to stay ahead of the exploding demand for high-bandwidth applications and services. “The Ruckus Smart Wi-Fi technology redefines what’s possible in wireless network performance with flexibility, reliability, and affordability. In 2013 Ruckus Wireless selected IT-IQ Botswana as a top dog reseller and Authorised Training Partner, the partnership makes IT-IQ the official reseller of all Ruckus Wireless solutions in Botswana,” he said.
The solutions showcase will feature Ruckus Wireless and the Microsoft Customer Immersion hosted by IT-IQ. Ruckus Wireless will discuss Wi-Fi implementation and deployment in Africa.
The Microsoft Customer Immersion Experience (CIE) will provide a facilitated hands-on environment where business and IT decision makers can view a live demo of Microsoft technologies.