The Wi-Sun Alliance’s FAN field area network specification has been adopted as ISO, IEC and IEEE 32857: 2026, making it the first wireless mesh networking specification adopted as an ISO and IEC standard.

Only three per cent of IEEE-originated specifications achieve ISO and IEC joint recognition, making this a notable milestone for standards-based wireless mesh networking across utilities and smart cities.

This carries direct implications for utility operators, municipal governments and infrastructure procurement agencies evaluating wireless networking technologies for critical field-area deployments.

“When a specification carries ISO and IEC recognition, it signals to procurement officials, regulators and policymakers around the world that the technology has been vetted at the highest level,” said Phil Beecher, CEO of the Wi-Sun Alliance. “Wi-Sun technology already supports some of the world’s largest utility networks, including nationwide smart metering deployments in Japan and large-scale smart grid projects across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, demonstrating that the technology is already proven at scale. ISO, IEC and IEEE 32857: 2026 gives utilities, municipalities and infrastructure providers an internationally recognised standard they can rely on and reference when planning the next generation of critical infrastructure.”

For utilities and municipalities, it removes a significant procurement barrier: procurement officers and regulators can now reference an internationally ratified specification when evaluating or mandating smart grid and smart city connectivity, rather than relying on industry-driven documentation alone.

“The Wi-Sun FAN specification was developed through exactly the kind of rigorous, consensus-driven technical process that ISO and IEC look for when evaluating IEEE work for joint adoption,” said Gary Stuebing from the IEEE. “What ISO, IEC and IEEE 32857: 2026 tells the market is that this specification was built to last, designed with the depth and precision that implementers need to build global interoperable, certifiable solutions at scale.”

The Wi-Sun Alliance provides the definitive testing and certification programme for this specification, helping ensure products are compliant and fully interoperable in multi-vendor deployments. To learn more visit wi-sun.org/wi-sun-certification.

The Wi-Sun Alliance (www.wi-sun.org) promotes open, secure and interoperable wireless mesh networking for utilities and smart cities.