The Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) and the FIDO Alliance have published a report demonstrating that a standards-based approach can address persistent challenges in large IoT deployments for manufacturers and enterprises.

The “OpenRoaming for IoT trials report” shows how this can reduce the cost and complexity of deploying connected devices at scale.

Securely bringing hundreds or thousands of devices online can require significant manual intervention, particularly when equipment is installed across multiple locations, networks and administrative domains. By combining OpenRoaming, Passpoint and FIDO Device Onboard (FDO), IoT and edge devices can establish secure connectivity at first power-on, begin ownership transfer and receive the credentials and configuration required for their operational environment, without technicians manually configuring each device.

The report details how the approach tested by WBA and the FIDO Alliance creates a repeatable onboarding model that reduces credential handling and deployment complexity, while maintaining enterprise control over where devices ultimately connect.

Achievements recorded in the trials included:

• Zero-touch IoT onboarding is technically feasible: A factory-based credentials mechanism can be used to enable a device to connect automatically to an OpenRoaming network without manual wifi configuration.
• OpenRoaming helps provide secure bootstrap connection: It gives the device trusted initial connectivity before it transitions to its final enterprise, industrial or private network.
• FDO helps manage secure ownership transfer and configuration: FDO supports device identity, ownership transfer and delivery of network credentials, policies and application configuration.
• Manufacturing becomes part of trust framework: Device-bound certificates and credentials can be securely provisioned before shipment.
• Model supports device redeployment: Devices can be reassigned and securely onboarded into new operational environments.

Under the model, manufacturers can provision devices with cryptographically bound credentials before shipment. When powered up within range of an OpenRoaming-enabled network, the device then authenticates automatically and uses that initial connection to reach its onboarding services.

OpenRoaming acts as a secure bootstrap layer rather than dictating the device’s final network placement. FDO manages device identity, ownership transfer and the delivery of operational credentials, policies and configuration. The device can then leave the bootstrap connection and move onto its designated enterprise, industrial, private or other operational network. This separation between initial access and final network placement enables organisations to automate onboarding without giving up control over local security policies and network access.

The trial team also described how this model could simplify the redeployment of connected products. Devices reassigned to a different site or owner can be securely re-onboarded into a new operational environment rather than requiring extensive manual reconfiguration.

The WBA and FIDO Alliance are inviting device manufacturers, enterprises, operators, infrastructure providers and IoT developers to participate in the next phase of the work. Priorities include real-world, multi-vendor trials, industry-specific proofs of concept, certificate lifecycle testing and further development for air-gapped and resource-constrained environments.

“This work marks an important step, extending OpenRoaming further into IoT and edge device use cases,” said Tiago Rodrigues, CEO of the WBA (wballiance.com). “By combining OpenRoaming’s secure, interoperable connectivity with FDO, we have shown how devices can establish a trusted first connection, begin automated onboarding and then transition to their designated operational network. It demonstrates the value of collaboration across the wifi, identity, manufacturing and IoT ecosystems, while providing a standards-based foundation for further interoperability testing, product development and real-world trials that can help reduce deployment overhead and strengthen device security at scale.”

Richard Kerslake from the FIDO Alliance (www.fidoalliance.org) added: “Enterprises no longer have to choose between speed and security. By pairing FDO with OpenRoaming, devices can now authenticate, locate their network and configure themselves automatically with zero manual setup and zero risk of tampering. It’s the secure, friction-free blueprint that IoT and edge applications need to scale in the real world.”

For more information on the trials including explanations of the model and areas for future work, download the report at wballiance.com/openroaming-for-iot-device-onboarding.