The most comprehensive independent dataset on public Wi-Fi deployment across 37 countries — now updated and extended through 2031.

Why We Need Your Support

Producing the Global Public Wi-Fi Tracker requires sustained investment in primary data acquisition, analytical infrastructure, and research capacity across 37 markets. The venue-level datasets from reliable third parties, the operator outreach required to validate hotspot counts country by country, and the modeling work needed to build credible six-year forecasts across eight verticals represent a significant and recurring cost that cannot be absorbed without committed backing from the industry. This crowdfunding initiative allows organizations that rely on , or would benefit from, accurate, independent public Wi-Fi intelligence to directly enable its production. Backers are not purchasing a generic report; they are funding the underlying dataset that makes rigorous Wi-Fi market analysis possible at global scale. Without this collective support, the research cannot be updated, the forecasts cannot be extended, and the industry loses one of its only sources of independent, operator-level Wi-Fi deployment data.

Background

Built originally to support Cisco's Visual Networking Index, the Global Public Wi-Fi Tracker provides operator-level hotspot counts, homespot estimates, and broadband subscriber data across North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa.

This updated edition introduces rigorous COVID-era baseline corrections and forward-looking forecasts shaped by the structural shifts of Wi-Fi 6/6E/7 adoption, OpenRoaming/Passpoint 2.0 maturation, delivering a clean, defensible dataset that practitioners and investors can rely on.

Scope

GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE

VERTICALS COVERED

The tracker measures Wi-Fi deployment across eight core venue categories, each modeled independently to capture deployment pace, operator involvement, and upgrade cycles:

Methodology

Every data point in the tracker passes through a three-stage process: primary operator data collection, technology-informed modeling, and cross-referencing against independent industry benchmarks.

Venue-level data is sourced from various sources that provide authoritative counts for hospitality, retail, and commercial real estate properties across all 37 markets. Country-level infrastructure baselines draw on national statistics agencies, whose census-grade data ensures regulatory accuracy and geographic consistency across regions.

Deliverables

The research includes annotated Excel data sheets, a full methodology narrative, and operator-level breakdowns by country:

• Hotspot forecasts by operator by country
• Broadband line forecasts by operator by country
• Homespot by vertical by country
• Split between homespots and public hotspots by operator by country
• Homespots by region
• Public hotspot forecasts
• Document explaining methodology and sources
• Excel data sheets covering all the above
• PDF explanations and notes (including the operator narrative document)

Refund Policy

In the event that Maravedis Research is unable to commence the agreed-upon work described in this invoice, the Client shall be entitled to a refund of ninety-five percent (95%) of the total amount paid. Maravedis Research shall retain five percent (5%) of the total invoiced amount as a non-refundable administrative fee to cover time and upfront costs already incurred, including but not limited to web development (crowdfunding landing page), marketing preparation, and related preliminary expenses. Any applicable refund shall be processed within thirty (30) business days of written confirmation that the work will not proceed.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no refund of any amount shall be issued if the Client withdraws funding, in whole or in part, for the purpose of directing or reallocating such funds toward a competing or substantially similar study, research initiative, or publication. In such circumstances, all amounts paid shall be deemed fully earned and non-refundable.