Wi-Fi Infrastructures Must Support Traffic
Offloaded from Mobile Cellular Networks
Wi-Fi is included as a fixed network component
in Cisco’s comprehensive VNI traffic forecast. For the
purposes of this study, offload pertains to traffic from
dual-mode devices (i.e., devices excluding laptops that
support cellular and Wi-Fi connectivity) over Wi-Fi
and small cell networks. Offloading occurs at the user
or device level when one switches from a cellular
connection to Wi-Fi or small cell access. Cellular
offloading is one of the significant contributors to
small cell and Wi-Fi traffic. Cisco’s forecast indicates
that by 2021, 63 percent of cellular global mobile traffic
will be offloaded onto the small cell or onto the Wi-Fi
infrastructure (Figure 4).
Global Internet Traffic — Wired and Wireless Trend
According to Cisco’s latest updated VNI report,
Wi-Fi plays a powerful role alongside other small cell
technologies in delivering key use cases going forward
in the 5G era. Narrowing the focus to Internet traffic
that excludes managed IP traffic yields a more
pronounced trend. By 2022, wired devices will account
for 21 percent of Internet traffic, and Wi-Fi and mobile
devices will account for 79 percent of Internet traffic
(Figure 5). Wi-Fi network usage continues
to gain momentum.
58 I ICT TODAY
37%
63%
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Source: Cisco VNI 2021 Forecast
Updated Feb 2018
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Exabytes per Month
Cellular Traffic from Mobile Devices Offload Traffic from Mobile Devices
FIGURE 4: When there is a switch from a cellular connection
to Wi-Fi or small cell access, offloading occurs. 63 percent
of cellular global mobile traffic will be offloaded onto the small
cell network or the Wi-Fi infrastructure by 2021.
PREPARING THE WI-FI INFRASTRUCTURE
FOR OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE
Because the Wi-Fi network has become an essential
utility for human interfacing mobile client devices and
operations-centric M2M communications for intelligent
building functionality, it is more important than ever
to carefully consider the physical installation of Wi-Fi
APs and associated cabling.
Global Internet Traffic by Local Access Technology
By 2022, 79% of total Internet traffic will be wireless*
30% CAGR
2017-2022
Mobile (46% CAGR)
Fixed/Wi-Fi from Wi-Fi Only Devices
(17% CAGR)
*Wireless includes Wi-Fi and mobile.
Source: Cisco VNI Global IP Traffic Forecast, 2017-2022.
2022
Exabytes
per Month
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Fixed/Wi-Fi from Mobile Devices
(153% CAGR)
Fixed/Wired (18% CAGR)
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
22.1%
25.0%
31.8%
21.1%
FIGURE 5: Internet traffic to grow at 30 percent CAGR with most of the growth in mobile traffic.