IEEE 802.11u

IEEE 802.11u is a proposed amendment to the IEEE 802.11-2007 standard to add features that improve interworking with external networks.

802.11 is an IEEE standard that allows devices such as laptop computers or cellular phones to join a wireless LAN widely used in the home, office and some commercial establishments.
IEEE 802.11 currently makes an assumption that a user is pre-authorised to use the network. IEEE 802.11u covers the cases where user is not pre-authorised. A network will be able to allow access based on the user's relationship with an external network (e.g. hotspot roaming agreements), or indicate that online enrollment is possible, or allow access to a strictly limited set of services such as emergency services (client to authority and authority to client.)

From a user perspective, the aim is to improve the experience of a traveling user who turns on a laptop in a hotel many miles from home. Instead of being presented with a long list of largely meaningless SSIDs the user could be presented with a list of networks, the services they provide, and the conditions under which the user could access them.

The IEEE 802.11u Proposal Requirements Specification contains requirements in the areas of enrollment, network selection, emergency call support, emergency alert notification, user traffic segmentation, and service advertisement.