LONDON—The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), an industry association that features such companies as AT&T, BT, Cisco, Google and Intel, has brought inCCgroup to oversee global PR, in an effort to elevate its worldwide profile.

After previously working with Temono, the WBA selected CCgroup following a competitive review. The UK-based PR firm will call on resources from its GlobalCom agency network to help service the assignment, which aims to position the industry association as a leading authority for driving universal wireless connectivity.

Accordingly, the brief will focus on the role of wi-fi and unlicensed wireless services in such areas as smart cities, IoT, big data, converged service offerings and 5G. Another WBA objective is to help bridge the digital divide, by championing the role that wi-fi plays in connecting societies across the globe.

"We have bold ambitions for building our global influence and clearly communicating the vital role that wi-fi will play in future wireless broadband network architecture,” said Shrikant Shenwai, CEO of the WBA. "We needed an agency that could help elevate our position as a prominent voice for our developments and initiatives and ensure we represent the interests of our members and the ecosystem as prominently as possible. This extends to ensuring our annual trade shows sustain the momentum they have built."

Created more than a decade ago to support the vision of ubiquitous wireless broadband services, the WBA also helps to plan and develop smart cities around the world. The association recently launched World Wi-Fi Day, an initiative to recognise and celebrate the importance of connecting the unconnected, taking place on 20 June this year. 

"The evolution of communications networks means service providers are looking for new and innovative ways to drive quality improvements and improve subscriber experience," said Paul Nolan, director and head of telecoms at CCgroup. "The convergence of licensed and unlicensed wireless is central to the future of the communications industry."