This has been a memorable year for us in the NXP wireless connectivity business, with the introduction of our cutting-edge Wi-Fi 6 portfolio and several groundbreaking design wins in key areas. A special highlight has been the recognition we’ve received from our peers at the Wi-Fi Alliance (WFA), the global organization that, for more than 20 years, has guided the definition, promotion and certification of Wi-Fi technology.
The recognition came in three ways from the Wi-Fi Alliance. The first two focused on NXP’s entry into the Wi-Fi Alliance Hall of Fame at both the individual and corporate levels, followed by NXP’s election onto its Board of Directors.
In the Hall of Fame category of Industry Impact, NXP was named as an outstanding member company who has “provided sustained service and significant contributions” over the past year, not only to the Wi-Fi Alliance mission of “connecting everyone and everything, everywhere,” but also to the Wi-Fi industry as a whole.
Also, in the Hall of Fame category of Quality of Service, Manish Kumar, who currently chairs the Wi-Fi Alliance 80.11ax (Wi-Fi6) Marketing task group and was technical editor for the Wi-Fi Alliance 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) technical task group, was named for his individual demonstration of “effective leadership and exemplary service to the Wi-Fi Alliance and the Wi-Fi industry through active involvement in three or more programs over a period of at least five years.”
The third acknowledgement of our hard work and dedication to Wi-Fi came with our election to the Wi-Fi Alliance Board of Directors, giving us an even deeper role in Wi-Fi initiatives worldwide. NXP is a long-time member in the Wi-Fi Alliance and has helped define both the standard itself and its certification program. Now, as a Wi-Fi Alliance Board Member, we will have even more opportunities to bring our experience and expertise to the Wi-Fi Alliance’s commitment to innovation and thought leadership.
Few technologies have had as widespread an impact as Wi-Fi, and the Wi-Fi Alliance has, in many ways, created the foundation for that success. What started with six companies in 1999 has grown to become a global organization that includes more than 800 member companies from dozens of countries, all working together to ensure interoperability and a high-quality user experience. The Wi-Fi Alliance certifies thousands of Wi-Fi products each year, and more than 45,000 products have been certified since the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED program began.
Taking the primary NXP board seat is, appropriately enough, Hall of Famer Manish Kumar. Filling the role of the alternate seat is Prabhu Loganathan.
The Wi-Fi Alliance is, of course, just one of many industry organizations we belong to and participate in at a high level. As a long-time member of the technology community, we are strong supporters of our industry associations.
The standards and certifications issued by industry associations play an important role in just about every aspect of technology, but they’re absolutely critical in wireless, where issues of interoperability are present throughout the radio spectrum. That’s why, across our entire portfolio of RF technologies, we’re also part of the relevant industry associations. You’ll find us in the GSM Alliance for cellular, the RAIN Alliance for RFID and the FiRa Consortium™ for UWB, as well as the Bluetooth SIG, the NFC Forum, the Thread Group and the ZigBee Alliance.
Our widespread participation in industry organizations is guided by the belief that, if technology companies and equipment manufacturers follow the same standards and rules, everyone benefits. Industry standards, as defined by independent organizations like the Wi-Fi Alliance, encourage competition, push manufacturers to create better products and give consumers the quality experiences they deserve.
We share the Wi-Fi Alliance’s mission to “connect everyone and everything, everywhere,” and look forward, as we head into a new year and a new role on the Board of Directors, to our continued collaboration with others in the Wi-FI Alliance.
To learn more about our solutions, visit Wi-Fi + Bluetooth and be sure to visit the Wi-Fi website to learn more about the Wi-Fi Alliance.
In his role as the Head of Marketing for our Wireless Connectivity Solutions group, Larry Olivas and his team are focused on driving Wi-Fi solutions that address Access, Auto and IoT/Industrial segments. He is an accomplished leader with deep experience in building connectivity businesses and platform based solutions with over 25 years of industry experience.
