Carrier WiFi: The Key People

If 2013 was punctuated by LTE network deployments and upgrades, 2014 will be all about how the operators fill in the gaps of their new 4G networks.

Multimode public small cells will eventually (though not yet) become one option, but -- in the more immediate future -- WiFi is already shaping how next-generation networks are performing. That's why we've published our inaugural list of the Top 10 Carrier WiFi Movers & Shakers to follow on from our Prime Reading feature on the leading individuals in the small cell sector. (See Top 6 Small Cells Movers & Shakers.)

This list is global and eclectic. It includes faces from equipment makers such as Ruckus Wireless Inc. that are racking up operator wins and bringing WiFi to the masses, all the way to relatively new entrants such as Republic Wireless that are disrupting the market with a WiFi-first business model or a bandwidth exchange program.

You'll also see some familiar "fathers of WiFi" and some new faces driving even newer business models.

There were certainly many more names that could have been on the list, and I imagine more startups that will spring up next year, claiming a new way to monetize or improve the WiFi experience. But, for now, these are the 10 we are paying special attention to. We'd love to hear your additions (or beefs with those who made it) as well.

Check out our Top 10 list and let us know what you think on the message boards.

— Sarah Reedy, Senior Editor, Light Reading