Wi-SUN Launches FAN Certification Program for Large-Scale, Outdoor IoT Networks

Author photo: Chantal Polsonetti
ByChantal Polsonetti
Category:
Company and Product News

The Wi-SUN Alliance, a global ecosystem of member companies seeking to accelerate the implementation of open standards-based Field Area Networks (FAN) and the Internet of Things (IoT), announced its FAN Certification Program.  FAN is a communications infrastructure for very large-scale networks.  In the same way you use the Internet on a smartphone or computer, a Field Area Network lets devices interconnect onto one common network.

The availability of the FAN Certification Program is the result of the vision, collaboration and dedication of a number of Wi-SUN Member companies.  Through the certification program, the Wi-SUN Alliance certifies products based on their compliance to a communications profile derived from applicable open standards and their ability to interoperate with other Wi-SUN certified products.

The FAN Certification Program will certify devices for use by utilities, city developers and other service providers to simplify and support large-scale, outdoor networks for smart cities, smart utilities and other IoT rollouts – and to help reduce costs and delays.  Wi-SUN members plan to announce certified products in Q4 2018.

Adhering to the Wi-SUN FAN profile based on open IEEE and IETF standards enables service providers, smart cities and utilities to deploy adaptable multi-service networks and will help ensure interoperability.

Key benefits of FAN Certification include:

  • Offers utilities, cities and service providers adaptable multi-service networks that will help ensure interoperability today and for future generations.
  • Reduces the time needed to evaluate new products, as behavior, performance and interoperability are well defined.
  • Eliminates single-vendor lock-in.
  • Encourages the development of a global ecosystem of standards-based products, reducing the risk and costly impact of stranded assets.

 

All Wi-SUN certified products are rigorously tested by a certified Wi-SUN appointed third-party test lab to ensure the devices work together effortlessly and securely for rapid time to market.  Certified devices include a digital certificate to authenticate entry to a Wi-SUN FAN network, significantly reducing vulnerability to cyber security threats.  Under a separate agreement, Wi-SUN has selected GlobalSign to provide Certificate Authority (CA) services to Wi-SUN Alliance member companies.

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