2026 Global WLAN Industry Forum Convened in Barcelona, Advancing a New AI-WLAN Industry Ecosystem

BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 17, 2026--

On March 2, 2026, the "2026 Global WLAN Industry Forum," hosted by the World WLAN Application Alliance (WAA), was held in Barcelona, Spain. Under the theme "AI-WLAN: Envisioning a New Premium Intelligent WLAN Ecosystem," the forum brought together over a hundred technical experts, operators, equipment manufacturers, and representatives from international organizations from around the world to discuss the integrated development path of AI and WLAN.

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As the world's first international industry organization dedicated on WLAN application experience, WAA proposed the goal of building a "Global Hub for AI-WLAN Technical Exchange and Standardization." During the forum, WAA, jointly with international organizations, operators, and leading equipment enterprises, released the "International Cooperation Initiatives on AI-WLAN Standardization" and signed memorandums of understanding with the World Broadband Association (WBBA) and the Global Intelligent Internet of Things Consortium (GIIC), laying a solid foundation for breaking down standards barriers and advancing technical collaboration.

ZHANG Ping, President of the WAA, stated that building a new intelligent ecosystem with AI-WLAN is the shared vision of the industry. GAN Bin, Vice President of Huawei, mentioned that AI transforms wireless local area networks from "passive response" to "active prediction," better meeting the differentiated needs of various industries.

During the keynote session, representatives from international standards organizations and industry leaders such as IEEE, ITU-T, ISO/IEC, SAMENA, WBA, China Mobile, Huawei, H3C, and Qualcomm engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as technological evolution, standard harmonization, and scenario-based implementation. The panel discussion focused on AI-WLAN applications and standardization innovation, consolidating industry consensus.

As a professionally significant and internationally oriented industry event, the hosting of the 2026 Global WLAN Industry Forum not only established a core platform for global WLAN industry collaboration and exchange but also strengthened international consensus on the integrated development of AI and WLAN, reinforcing the foundation for global industry cooperation. WAA will leverage this forum as an opportunity to continuously deepen the two-way integration of AI and WLAN, further enhance international cooperation, and continue to play its role as a "coordinator" and "promoter." It will persistently build bridges for global industry collaboration, deepen international technical exchanges and standard cooperation, and promote the benefits of high-quality WLAN experiences for users worldwide, collectively writing a new chapter in the development of the AI-WLAN intelligent network ecosystem.

2026 Global WLAN Industry Forum Convened in Barcelona, Advancing a New AI-WLAN Industry Ecosystem

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — At least 23 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in suspected suicide bombings Monday night that targeted Maiduguri city in northeastern Nigeria, police said Tuesday. It was one of the deadliest attacks in the conflict-battered city in recent history.

Residents and emergency services earlier told The Associated Press that three explosions were reported in crowded places in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, including in a major market and at the entrance of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

“Regrettably, a total of 23 persons lost their lives, while 108 others sustained varying degrees of injuries,” Borno police spokesperson Nahum Kenneth Daso said in a statement that blamed the attacks on suspected suicide bombers.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but suspicion quickly fell on the Boko Haram jihadi group, which in 2009 launched an insurgency in northeastern Nigeria to enforce their radical interpretation of Shariah.

Boko Haram has since become stronger, with thousands of fighters and different factions, including the Islamic State West Africa Province, which is backed by the Islamic State group.

Maiduguri city has been at the heart of the deadly violence but has in recent years experienced relative peace even as the countryside is often battered by extremists.

Residents recounted the chaos that followed the explosions. “This attack’s been one of the deadliest in Maiduguri in years,” said Mohammed Hassan, a member of a volunteer group assisting security forces in fighting extremists. “We’re in dire need of blood,” he said of the situation hours after the attack.

The extremists have intensified their attacks against Nigerian military bases, killing several senior officers and soldiers, and stripping the bases of stocks of weaponry and ammunition.

An ambulance is seen at the hospital following a bomb blast in Maiduguri, Nigeria, Monday, March 16, 2026. (AP Photo )