From Edgecore to OpenWiFi: How Hardware Innovation Is Supporting Future-Proof Networks

Why It Matters

OpenLAN’s open, PKI‑secured hardware ecosystem gives operators a vendor‑neutral, rapidly deployable foundation for next‑generation Wi‑Fi and edge services, accelerating network modernization and cost efficiencies.

Key Takeaways

• OpenWiFi rebranded to OpenLAN, adding switching and gateway layers.
• PKI-based zero‑touch provisioning enables seamless multi‑vendor interoperability across networks.
• Community produced 400,000 certified APs in 2025, targeting triple growth.
• Edgecore delivers Wi‑Fi 5/6/7 hardware with integrated IoT radios.
• New collaborations focus on indoor AFC and end‑to‑end QoS standards.

Summary

The podcast spotlights the OpenLAN ecosystem—formerly OpenWiFi—and its expanding portfolio that now includes switching and an upcoming gateway solution. Speakers from the Telecom Info Project, TIP, and Edgecore explain how the community’s open‑source approach is reshaping network hardware for telecom operators, ISPs, and managed service providers.

Key developments include a PKI‑driven zero‑touch provisioning model that guarantees plug‑and‑play interoperability among multiple vendors, eliminating lock‑in. In 2025 the OpenLAN community shipped over 400,000 PKI‑certified access points, a three‑fold increase from prior years, and aims to double or triple that figure in 2026. Partnerships with the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) and TIP are driving new features such as indoor Automatic Frequency Coordination (AFC) and end‑to‑end Quality‑of‑Service (QoS) across Wi‑Fi, switching, and gateway layers.

Edgecore exemplifies the hardware side of the initiative, offering Wi‑Fi 5, 6, and 7 access points for indoor and outdoor deployments, each equipped with integrated IoT radios (Bluetooth, Zigbee, Thread). Their contributions extend to multi‑GPU switches and the emerging OpenLAN gateway, all built to the new PKI certification framework. The community’s AFC work tackles indoor location accuracy to dynamically adjust transmit power, while QoS metrics from WBA are being upstreamed into the OpenLAN codebase, enabling smarter traffic offloading for mobile networks.

For operators, these advances translate into faster, cost‑effective rollouts of vendor‑agnostic infrastructure, reduced R&D duplication, and a future‑proof platform that can adapt to emerging 6 GHz spectrum and high‑bandwidth applications. The open‑source model also broadens the supply chain, fostering competition and innovation across the telecom hardware market.

Original Description

Our Chief Commercial Officer Vishal Mathur sat down with Jaspreet Sachdev, TIP's OpenLAN TPM, and Teng Tai Hsu from Edgecore to talk about where OpenLAN stands today — and where it's going.

Here's what they covered:

→ OpenLAN's evolution from OpenWiFi into a full disaggregated stack: WiFi, switching, and the newly introduced OpenLAN Gateway

→ How PKI certification is enabling zero-touch provisioning and true multi-vendor interoperability

→ The milestone of surpassing 400,000 deployed, PKI-certified access points in 2025

→ A new liaison partnership with WBA, bringing end-to-end QoS and indoor AFC / 6 GHz innovation to the roadmap

→ Edgecore's role as a leading hardware champion — and their 2026 focus on Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 APs, multi-gig switches, and full PKI transition

🗓️ And if you're at WWC 2026 — the OpenLAN Global Summit is happening TOMORROW at 1:30pm PST. Don't miss it.

If you're a telecom operator, ISP, or MSP evaluating enterprise Wi-Fi options, this one's for you.

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1SbCU8saQ094k4bAhwEHbo?si=2cAiIHGFTHG3wkaWI6q6ag

Learn more about OpenLAN here: https://www.telecominfraproject.com/openlan

#OpenLAN #OpenWiFi #TIP #TelecomInfraProject #NetworkDisaggregation #Edgecore #WiFi7 #FYUZ2026 #WWC2026