This standard specifies an architecture for an interoperable and secure public WLAN network infrastructure to provide seamless connectivity for users of IEEE 802.11 networks. The network infrastructure shall consist of IEEE 802.11 Wireless Access Points (WAPs) of different makes or models and from different vendors, backhaul connectivity provided by different service providers, authentication and policy infrastructures, and services (such as voice, data, and video) offered by different application service providers through subscription plans. The network infrastructure elements shall interwork with each other in a secure manner, and the infrastructure shall support discovery and inclusion of compliant WAPs to provide a seamless service for its subscribers.