Cable Wi-Fi's massive future potential starts to take shape

The cable industry's bread and butter, a highly profitable video business, is cracking as people consume more and more content via over-the-top distribution channels. However, at the same time, a massive opportunity with unknown dimensions has quietly emerged: Wi-Fi. Industry analysts are largely unable at this point to speculate on the eventual size of the cable Wi-Fi business. The exact way it's going to be monetized is also unclear. But there's a belief quickly taking hold that carrier-grade cable Wi-Fi could offset degradation in TV distribution. It could be several years before it emerges as a major component of MSOs' businesses, but the potential is there. For more on the future of cable Wi-Fi, check out this FierceCable special report.