Licence‐exempt: the emergence of Wi‐Fi

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a description of the genesis and development of Wi‐Fi, or how the industry exploited an opportunity provided by the regulators in allowing radio communications in the unlicensed bands originally allocated for industrial, medical and scientific applications.

Design/methodology/approach

The longitudinal case describes the genesis and development of Wi‐Fi, with a focus on the interplay between regulation, innovation, standardization, and running a successful business.

Findings

The paper argues that the current day success of Wi‐Fi is a combined result of: a change in the US communications policy in the 1980s; the industry leadership provided by NCR, its successors and collaborators, to create a global standard and to deliver compatible products under the Wi‐Fi label; and the influence of the users that moved the application of Wireless‐LANs from the enterprise to the home, from indoor to outdoor use, from a communications product to a service, and from operators to end‐users as the provider of that service.

Research limitations/implications

The exploration and analysis are based on contributions by experts from the field, having been involved “first hand” in the innovation journey of Wi‐Fi.

Practical implications

The case describes the first globally successful large‐scale application of radio communication devices operating under a licence‐exempt radio frequency regime. The case is a contemporary example of innovation and product development leading to an open standard. In concluding the paper reflects on the implications of this licence‐exempt case for the governance of the radio spectrum.

Originality/value

While many articles and books have appeared discussing the technical aspects of Wi‐Fi, the case description documents the genesis and development of Wi‐Fi from an entrepreneurial perspective.

Citation

Hayes, V. and Lemstra, W. (2009), "Licence‐exempt: the emergence of Wi‐Fi", info, Vol. 11 No. 5, pp. 57-71. https://doi.org/10.1108/14636690910989333