About the authors
Russell Shaw is a specialist in mobile computing, telephony, networking and covers these fields regularly for numerous print and online publications. Russ writes the popular IP Telephony blog on ZDNet and contributes regularly to The Industry Standard blog as well. Author of seven books, Russ' latest book is Wireless Networking Made Easy.
John Yunker is president of Byte Level Research. He closely tracks emerging wireless technologies and their impact on consumers and carriers alike. Over the years he has written a number of major reports on technologies such as Wi-Fi, WiMAX and cellular technologies.
About this blog
Unwired studies emerging wireless technologies and how they complement and conflict with one another. Technologies covered include: Wi-Fi, WiMAX, Ultra-Wideband, Zigbee, EV-DO, UMTS, HSDPA and whatever else comes along.
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June 27, 2005
Posted by Russell Shaw
I am a Pacific Northwest resident who loves the outdoors. And, as you might guess, one who also loves technology.
Wearing both hats, I read with interest a piece in Saturday's Chicago Tribune entitled Good news for campers: more parks wired.
That finding came out of a just-published Intel unwired cities poll.
"One finding this year is that more and more campsites and parks are equipped with Wi-Fi so that people can keep connected even as they commune with nature," Tribune reporter reporter Jon Van writes.
"It is kind of surprising, but people like to have acess to their email and the ability to download photos when they go camping, " Intel consumer education manager Ralph Bond ("Bond. Ralph Bond" is quoted as saying.
I wanted to see how true this is. I went to the website of JWire, which offers a browsable and searchable list of more than 67,000 Wi-Fi hotspots all over the United States, and the world.
There's more than 27,000 Wi-Fi hotspots in the U.S. alone.
One of the more interesting campgound hotspot listings I found was for the Devil's Tower KOA in Devil's Tower, Wyoming. Honest.
Is Wi-Fi access important to you campers out there? Let us know!
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June 12, 2005
Posted by Russell Shaw
Would you pay $29.95 for Wi-Fi Internet access for the entire length of your flight? What about $9.95 an hour?
USA Today reports that United Airlines is already working with Verizon Airfone to test the service. Apparently, it has been demonstrated to the Federal Aviation Administration's approval that yes, this type of technology won't jumble pilot-to-ground communications.
Technically, the service could work. Marketing-wise, I think it is a smash. The USA Today piece says that 38% of frequent business travelers who responded to a Forrester Research survey said that they would use the service even if it were priced at $25 a flight.
The next time you fly, note the number of business travelers working with their stored email files and PowerPoint presentations. I think this is a ready made market. Count me in.
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June 04, 2005
Posted by John Yunker
According to CNET News, Apple will be announcing a migration to Intel chips on Monday.
And it looks like they'll be starting with the low-end computers first, gradually working their way up to the high-end Macs.
So it looks like this move was all about the chips and not about WiMAX, as I speculated. Now that doesn't mean that we won't see Intel's wireless strategy change over the next few years. For instance, will Centrino be used in the Mac Minis? If so, where does this leave Apple's Airport gear?
As for WiMAX, I guess we'll see how this IntelApple marriage progresses. I still think something is going to happen along these lines.
PS: Here is the Reuters article.
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Posted by John Yunker
At first I thought it was a mistake. I was at Kansai International Airport (KIX) in Osaka, Japan waiting for my flight earlier this week when I opened up my laptop to check for Wi-Fi. Normally, what I want to know is how much they're going to squeeze me for per hour. Is it $7.95 or $9.95 or do they skip the hourly rate entirely and just hit me up for a 12-hour block?
But then something very strange happened -- I got free Wi-Fi. And it wasn't a mistake. This was free, airport-sponsored Wi-Fi. I checked email, woke my poor wife using Skype -- I just had myself a little party.
Kansai offers free Wi-Fi: Power outlets, however, are scarce.
It appears that for the past two years KIX has been giving away free Wi-Fi. I've heard of a number of small regional airports offering free Wi-Fi as an incentive to lure traffic, but never an airport of this size.
So, is Kansai the world's largest airport to offer free Wi-Fi? Any users out there know of a larger airport offering free Wi-Fi?
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June 03, 2005
Posted by John Yunker
About a week ago I wrote a blog about the possibility of Apple embracing WiMAX. That blog was followed soon after by a MacObserver story.
Needless to say, I've gotten an earful from readers -- some good, some bad, and some a little bit ugly. I should have known that any article that combined lightning-rod topics like Apple and WiMAX would attract attention.
So I wanted to summarize the comments received and make a few corrections. Here goes...
Comment: Apple launched Airport in 1999, not 1997. Apple launched it at the Boston Macworld show, alongside Apple's launching of the iBook.
-> I stand corrected. For a handy Apple timeline check out this site.
Comment: It should be noted that Apple does use Intel chips in its xRAID product.
-> This was one of several comments I received that noted that Apple is already using Intel chips. Some folks also stressed that porting the Mac OS over to Intel would not be a major production, while others said the exact opposite. I'd love to get more input on this as I am no expert.
Regardless, I still cannot help but think that the wireless folks within Apple aren't at least a little intrigued by the business potential of WiMAX. Intel bet big on Wi-Fi a few years back and certainly did well as a result; any potential partner and OEM is taking Intel's WiMAX gamble very seriously.
Comment: WiMax would not be affordable for an everyday technology. Heck, Alvarion, one of the largest players in the game does not hardly sell anything less than $1000, with the exception of their low-end access units.
-> Alvarion has been selling proprietary fixed wireless gear in low quantities, hence the relatively high costs. WiMAX gear, produced in large quantities by multiple vendors, will be affordable. And Intel isn't going to be the only player making WiMAX silicon. Everyone currently producing Wi-Fi components is either already investing in WiMAX or keeping a very close eye on it. Wi-Fi wasn't particularly cheap in 1999 either.
Comment: Just because WiMAX is a "new" technology, does not mean Apple will adopt it, especially if it is the wrong tool for the job.
-> Agreed. But my point here is that there are new "jobs" that wireless technology will be expected to perform in the years ahead and WiMAX might be a very good fit for those jobs. Not all jobs. I don't believe Wi-Fi is threatened in the least by WiMAX.
Finally, a number of people made it clear that WiMAX is a "last mile" technology and not a "last hundred feet" technology. While I agree that this is how WiMAX is being positioned, it is by no means the only way that WiMAX may ultimately be used. Wi-Fi certainly wasn't originally envisioned as a technology for unwiring city blocks via a mix of mesh and MIMO technologies. I think we're going to see all kinds of unintended applications emerge from WiMAX.
Anyway, that's it for me. Keep those comments coming...
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May 24, 2005
Posted by John Yunker
So I have a few thoughts on why Apple is talking to Intel. First, let me quote this Reuters article to provide context:
"To port to an x86 platform would be a massive undertaking and I'm highly suspicious of that," said Tim Bajarin, an analyst at Creative Strategies, referring to Intel chips.
Apple always has a lot of projects in the works and could be evaluating Intel chips for use in future products, Bajarin said, adding that when Apple co-founder and chief executive Steve Jobs was asked Sunday night at a Wall Street Journal technology conference whether Apple would use Intel chips, "Jobs basically said no."
So I'm going to assume that porting the Mac OS is not a high priority at Apple these days. What I think is a high priority is wireless. Apple launched its Wi-Fi-power Airport way back in 1997. Here we are eight years later and Wi-Fi is everywhere, particularly in the home.
There have been lots of speculation about Apple launching an A/V equivalent of iTunes. Now, connecting the cable or DSL modem to the TV is a hurdle we're seeing lots of companies tackle, with limited success.
I've spoken to a number of techs who see WiMAX as the next-generation home wireless technology. That's because only WiMAX can stream multiple streams of HDTV content in difficult RF environments to all ends of the home.
Apple is also rumored to be getting into the smart phone business. I'd certainly love to see how they could simplify my Palm Treo 650. But what wireless technology are they going to support if and when they do get into this business? I wouldn't bet on EV-DO and I don't think they want to bother with EDGE or HSDPA either. Apple likes to lead with wireless technology, not follow.
I think Apple sees a lot of opportunities with WiMAX. And I think Intel sees a lot of opportunity in getting Apple to support WiMAX. Because the applications that WiMAX will support don't really exist yet. Sure, we're going to see wireless last-mile proliferate using WiMAX, but that's the easy part.
Perhaps all that Apple and Intel are talking about right now is processors. But I have to believe that there are people on both sides of the room thinking WiMAX.
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May 23, 2005
Posted by Russell Shaw
The other day I was thinking how far hotels have come in providing Internet access for travelers.
Wasn't all that long ago that you would find hotels that were so freaked out their guests would steal the phone itself that they bolted the instrument to the wall. Unfortunately, that precluded easy compatibility with the laptop computers of the time. Anyone remember acoustic couplers?
Then, in the late 1990s, it was rare to find a hotel that didn't at least let you run a cord from the back of your laptop to the back of the phone. Whether or not your laptop's dialing software was compatible with the hotel's PBX was a matter of doubt.
That lasted a couple of years. Soon, by the turn of the millennium, hotels started to offer second lines for data. In most cases, that meant you could talk and be online at the same time. The only bummer: in most cases, speed was limited to dial-up.
Just two or three years ago, hotels that offered guests in-room high-speed Internet access were still somewhat of a novelty. Those properties that did provided such services offered it by means of an Ethernet cable that a guest could plug in to their own laptop computer, or a keyboard guests could use to control a basic-featured broadband Internet browser on the in-room television.
While in-room high speed wired Internet access is still growing, a relatively new feature has been coming to guest facilities in the last year or so: wireless high-speed broadband. I am talking about Wi-FI throughout the property, not just in the lobby, business center, or in-house restaurant but down to the farthest reaches of each hallway.
Most often, these services are offered for free. Although hotels have to pay wireless Internet companies for these services, they eat the cost to guests. After all, the type of guest who would use this amenity is likely to be tech savvy, a decision-maker. These are folks who, if pleased, would book you again - and recommend that their colleagues and peers do the same.
The growth of high-speed broadband has coincided with the rapid expansion of Wi-FI (Wireless Fidelity), a technology that allows laptop computers and other mobile devices equipped with an appropriate card to access the Internet directly over the air.
The widespread availability of these services in high-volume traffic locations such as airports, coffee shops and bookstores has convinced computer makers to offer laptops with the built-in ability to access the Internet via wireless broadband. So, with plenty of conditioning and marketing about the convenience of this technology, business travelers have been asking hotels if they provide the service.
Hoteliers report installation is inexpensive and with the use of wireless Access Points to relay wireless signals, the technology relatively easy to enable throughout the property. Plus, if a guest requests Wi-Fi, they are already likely to use the technology - making detailed training of front-desk personnel in Wi-Fi unnecessary.
Hundreds of properties are offering the service. In the next year or two, expect thousands.
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May 04, 2005
Posted by Russell Shaw
I cannot recall ever using my Wi-Fi enabled laptop in a public library. Reasons: I never take my laptop there because most libraries don't have suitable connections. So,when I am on the road and not in a hotel with high-speed access, I either have to hook up my laptop for dial-up or find a hotspot.
If I were traveling in Maine, though, I'd have another option. Suupported by a $120,000 grant from the Maine Telecommunications Education Access Fund, the Walk In Wireless project has turned dozens of library branches in that state into free, Wi-Fi hotspots.
You have to bring your own laptop. For that very reason, true, we're not looking at feel-good-bridge-the-Digital-Divide stuff here. Still, my overarching reaction is that, OK, if I was (pun alert) a Maine man, and was out and about with my notebook, I'd have another choice. I wouldn't have to subscribe to a fee-based Wi-Fi service. I could just walk into a local library and surf the Web and check my e-mail.
I have an idea to make this service even better, though. Some of the first laptops to have built-in Network Interface Cards for Wi-Fi are starting to age. Library systems ought to have programs where you donate your used Wi-Fi laptop and get a tax credit for the current value of the laptop. Then, the laptop could be configured to work at a library with a hotspot capability funded by a service similar to the Maine Telecommunications Education Access Funds
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May 02, 2005
Posted by John Yunker
Qualcomm is the Microsoft of the telecoms industry, for better and for worse. People in the telecoms industry typically either love the company or hate the company.
I lean toward the latter, so please keep that in mind as you read this brief review of The Qualcomm Equation by Dave Mock.
In this book, published earlier this year, Dave does an excellent and meticulous job of documenting Qualcomm's against-all-odds rise to the top of the telecoms industry. I did not realize the degree to which Qualcomm relied on government business in the early days and also did not realize just how close the company came to missing the cellular boat completely. Back when Europe set in place one standard and many in the US wanted to follow suit, Qualcomm stuck to its guns.
And I think that the US is better off for it.
By and large, the mixed-standards "mess" that we have in the US has turned out to be a pretty good thing. Because of competing standards, we have EV-DO, which is a much-faster technology than single-standard Europe has to offer. Competing technologies keeps everyone on their toes, and Qualcomm has certainly kept the GPRS vendors on their toes. Dave Mock documents this drama and makes sense of the very complex technical standards and jargon.
Mock is perhaps too kind to Qualcomm, particularly in the latter years, as the vendor transforms from David to Goliath. For example, the company has been in an all-out war with Wi-Fi and WiMAX over the past three years, and it is only recently that we now see the company starting to co-opt some of the same technology underlying WiMAX. Qualcomm recently ditched its much-hyped EVDV technology when it became apparent that carriers want IP and big pipes, something WiMAX was designed to address from the ground up.
I find Qualcomm to be a little lost these days, as if it is searching for another big bully to take on again; the trouble is, Qualcomm is now the big bully and it's taking on the types of innovators that it once was.
That said, anyone in the telecoms industry who wants to know how Qualcomm got to be Qualcomm should read this book.
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April 27, 2005
Posted by Russell Shaw
"Trading Without a Wire," which appears in this week's Business Week, has a lot to say about QuoTrek.
A stock price-quote server for mobile devices, QuoTrek has just been upgraded to be a stock trading facilitator for Wi-Fi-enabled laptop BlackBerry, Palm PC and Windows Mobile handhelds.
Given that stockbrokers as well as individual investors are always on the go, I'd say the potential for this technology is golden. As the article mentions, nearly 10% of all trades on Schwab.com are completed wirelessly.
No reason something like QuoTrek cannot help but push this percentage even higher.
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February 22, 2005
Posted by John Yunker
If you've purchased a Treo recently from Cingular and are having problems, read this post...
Two weeks ago I took the plunge and purchased the Treo 650 from Cingular. I don't have to repeat the many glowing reviews this device has received. What did it for me was knowing that there would be a Wi-Fi plug-in available later this year. Here's one that's on the way.
The first week with the Treo was mostly positive. Syncing is a challenge with any device, particularly if you are a Mac user. PalmSource gave up supporting Macs last year, so I had to go to a third party to get software to sync my calendar and contacts. As a Mac user, I'm accustomed to these little exercises.
After about a week the troubles began. I would go to dial a number and the phone would reset on me. Just like that. The screen goes black and then it boots up again. For a moment there I had a flashback to my Windows Me days.
To make matters worse, the voicemail phone number would change on me randomly, displaying everything from international numbers to a string of zeros.
So I went to the Cingular and PalmOne Web sites and found nothing of help. There was clearly a software glitch - perhaps a conflict between the SIM card and the Palm OS. This is in many ways the worst possible problem, because it falls in between the cracks of the device manufacturer and the carrier. In fact, when I finally did get ahold of Cingular, they initially told me that I had a faulty device and that I should return it.
Then I discovered Treo forums here and here. And I quickly realized that I wasn't alone. Between the forums I estimate that I have found close to a hundred people who have buggy Treo 650s. Granted, it's very hard to tell what's a legitimate bug or software conflict or naive user, but based on reading these countless postings, I can't help but think that Palm and Cingular rushed out this handset a bit too quickly.
One user goes to Cingular the other day and finds that corporate has sent an email to all dealers telling them that the SIM card is causing problems. The dealers have been sent a stack of Axalto SIM cards to exchange with the existing Gemplus SIM cards.
So once I heard this I went over to my local dealer and was met with a blank stare, until I found the manager who just happened to have read the same email that morning. They swapped the cards and the problem went away, sorta.
I had to go home and do a hard reset, that is, erase all the settings and software I had set up, and the phone worked again. Needless to say, I was relieved, until I ran a sync operation and all the old files and settings were pushed back onto the Treo. Suddenly, the same old problems came back to life. Once user on the forum said I need to reinstall my backup software as well (which for me meant reinstalling two applications all over again). Instead, I tried to remove just the backup files and this seemed to do the trick.
It has been three days and I've only had on random reset.
I've been in touch with PalmOne PR and hope to have more information soon. What I want to know is this:
1. How severe is this problem? How many people need to be changing SIM cards?
2. Why didn't PalmOne and Cingular notify everyone the minute they discovered this problem? How many people right now are waiting on hold with Cingular cursing their Treos?
3. Did Cingular pull the Treo off its Web site yesterday because of this problem or because of supply shortages? They'll probably say it's because of shortages, but I can't help but wonder.
Anyway, I hope this isn't a big problem, though it certainly has been a big one for me. And I'm still wondering if I should just return the thing the get on with my life (I've wasted a good 10 hours on hold, at the dealer, and futzing with the device). But, most of all, I hope other frustrated Treo users out there read this post and get to their dealer if they're having problems.
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February 07, 2005
Posted by John Yunker
I've been putting the new Canary Wireless Wi-Fi detector through its paces and it is clearly a big improvement over other Wi-Fi detectors. Still, I think it's just a bit too bulky to find its way into my pocket on a regular basis.
It's quite a bit bigger than it appears here:
A close-Up of the LCD screen:
It does provides a great deal more information than any other detector, like signal strength and SSID. And the device does a nice job of turning itself off to conserve power.
But the size is a sticking point with me. And the LCD screen desperately needs a backlight; and because the LCD is recessed you'll need direct overhead lighting to read the display properly.
Waiting for cellphones to offer Wi-Fi detection
The HP iPAQ provided the first glimpse of a handset that could function as a decent Wi-Fi detector. But we need more handsets to begin supporting Wi-Fi, despite carrier reservations. I was disappointed at CES to find that Blackberry still has no projected date for a Wi-Fi-enabled device. And although the Treo will have an "official" Wi-Fi plug-in later this year, I'm not hearing much enthusiasm from the Palm people regarding embedding the technology. Benq demoed a device at CES, but it wasn't ready for prime time.
So I'll keep waiting and, until then, will occasionally carry along my Canary Wireless.
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February 02, 2005
Posted by John Yunker
Another hotel chain has announced that it would offer free Wi-Fi. Microtel Inn & Suites said it will offer free Wi-Fi in all hotel rooms, along with free domestic local/long distance across all 275 locations. Despite what the hotel's press release says, this is not a "first" in the hotel industry. Far from it, this is a global industry trend that continues to gain momentum.
Hotel GMs know that people are making hotel choices based on Internet access in general and Wi-Fi in particular. And GMs are learning that it is easier to bundle "free" access into the room rate than try to nickel and dime the guests. I can attest to that; I recently stayed at two business hotels in Japan, both of which offered free in-room Internet access and free Wi-Fi in the lobbies.
The higher-end hotel chains (Four Seasons, Fairmont, Ritz) continue to hold their ground on paid Internet access, but I don't believe even this will last.
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January 17, 2005
Posted by John Yunker
As reported in the WSJ last week, a group of California Verizon Wireless customers are suing their carrier for selling them a "disabled" Motorola V710 handset.
So let me get this right, the first "Bluetooth-enabled" handset that Verizon Wireless brought to market was disabled?
That's right.
The lawsuit rightfully contends that when a carrier advertises Bluetooth support that is must support the degree of Bluetooth that consumers come to expect. In other words, just leave the technology alone and let it work as it was intended.
Verizon wants customers to use Bluetooth only for wireless handset capabilities, not for syncing their handsets with their computers or, worse, downloading ring tones and other "premium" content from outside Verizon's walled garden. As one customer said, "It's like buying an SUV that can't go in the mud."
This is a timely lawsuit and should serve notice to all service providers who believe that consumers will passively consume what wireless features they are fed. Thanks to Wi-Fi and other wireless devices, consumers are growing both savvy and demanding about wireless technology. They know what Bluetooth is capable of and they're going to be pretty upset if anyone stands in the way of that functionality. The same goes for Wi-Fi, which is gradually making its way into carrier portfolios.
Cellular carriers want to think of themselves as cable operators, who charge a monthly fee for "basic" connectivity plus make a bunch more money from "premium content." But the walled garden only works when there are walls, and thanks to a new wave of fixed wireless upstarts and newly motivated incumbents, like SBC and BellSouth, no carrier (wired or wireless) will win by walling in their customers.
The carriers of the future will tear down the walls between wired and wireless, TV and computer, home and work. The carriers of the future will function as personal systems integrators, selling services and not pipes. Verizon Wireless and Vodafone kid themselves in thinking they can control the handset manufacturers and, as a result, the consumers; it is a stopgap measure at best. Every disabled device represents a disabled business model. The walls will fall down.
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January 11, 2005
Posted by John Yunker
The thing that always bugged me about the McDonald's Wi-Fi rollout was the lack of decent coffee. Well, that's about to change; according to USA Today premium coffee is on its way to 13,000 locations over the next 18 months.
Add premium coffee to Wi-Fi, along with plenty of seating, and McDonald's has a nice case for attracting road warriors. The ultimate key to success will be how the Wi-Fi is offered and for how much money. But based on SBC's early actions, I'm betting it's going to be a lot less expensive than what T-Mobile charges in Starbucks locations.
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January 10, 2005
Posted by John Yunker
This from the folks at Hotel Online:
"Wireless HSIA continued its meteoric adoption rate, with ever more hotel chains adopting it as a brand standard, usually on a free-to-guest basis. It's not clear how much longer the hold-outs can still charge for the service, especially as they don't seem to provide any significantly better quality, speed or reliability in the connection."
I agree. The "hold-outs" will charge for Wi-Fi for at least another year or two. In doing so, they will slowly lose their loyal customers to upstart hotels who embrace free Wi-Fi as a competitive amenity. When the hold-outs awaken, they will have lost market share in exchange for minimal revenues.
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Posted by John Yunker
Tech pundit Bob Cringley's annual predictions are always a good read. Here are his wireless predictions:
->WiMax will be a huge story by summer, but widespread adoption of the wireless networking technology will take at least another two years. In the meantime, though, nobody will make money on WiFi, but it will become ubiquitous anyway, especially with the arrival of 802.11n.
( I'm not sure WiMAX can be much more of a "huge" story than it is already. I would add that Wi-Fi will become known more for the applications it supports [see below] than for simply providing Internet access.)
-> VoIP will continue to shatter the telephone industry with the arrival of WiFi phones, which might finally be the killer app for hotspots. Eventually, all the backbone suppliers will figure out that VoIP is their salvation and will either start their own VoIP companies or ally with big VoIP players.
(I agree. Wi-Fi phones [standalone or embedded within PDAs and cellular handsets] are going to give carriers a reason to invest in hotspots; they're a lot cheaper than base stations and can often be partially supported by the venue.)
-> Two thousand five will NOT be the year for UltraWide Band (UWB) networking or Power Line Networking, but both will do really well in 2006.
(After spending time at CES, it's safe to say we'll see commercial UWB products, primarily for wireless USB. However, we will also see a blending of power line and UWB technology for pretty nifty hi-def home networking. But much of this will take until 2006 I'm afraid.)
You can read Bob's full list of predictions here.
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January 05, 2005
Blink ›
Cisco Buying Airespace
If Cisco does buy Airespace, this will be one smart purchase, akin to the Linksys deal. Airespace was making nice inroads on Cisco's market share and really understands how to help enterprises make the most of their Wi-Fi grids.
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December 24, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
Daily Wireless reports on the forthcoming Samsung SCH-i730 PDA phone, which will include EV-DO, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. This is the perfect mix of WLAN and WAN connectivity. Now will Verizon Wireless drag its heels on supporting this device or will Sprint be first out of the gate? Either way, I believe that carriers, despite their fretting about lost minutes of use, will learn to love Wi-Fi, for it will give their EV-DO networks some much-needed breathing room.
This could be my next handset.
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December 21, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
Dave Mock is a wireless consultant and analyst with currentofferings.com and author of the forthcoming book The Qualcomm Equation. Dave took a moment to answer a few of my burning telecoms questions...
Q: What are your thoughts about a Nextel/Sprint merger? Is this good news for US telecoms industry? Good news for consumers?
A: The Sprint/Nextel combo will have pros and cons but overall I think it’s a move in the right direction for both the industry and consumers. Nextel’s strained network will get relief and Sprint will get some very profitable channels. The different network platforms will slow the integration though – they’ll operate two networks for a while.
Q: What are your predictions about Qualcomm and China? China has been testing the two leading 3G technologies along with a homegrown technology. Any thoughts on how it will all play out?
A: I think China will push TD-SCDMA into the market somehow, with the principle purpose of leveraging a bigger role in the industry. Whether it is successful or not probably doesn’t matter as much as what it buys them. I think arguments of Qualcomm’s assertion of IPR in the standard are moot, as I don’t see it as a significant driver of royalty for them. However it plays out, CDMA and WCDMA should still develop a significant presence.
Q: EV-DO vs. HSDPA: Which do you like better, and why?
A: I like EV-DO because it’s here today. Ultimately, HSDPA promises more flexibility for operators, but it’s got some distance to go before widespread deployment.
Q: Qualcomm is becoming a network operator with its MediaFLO deployment. Why is Qualcomm doing this and do you think it will pay off?
A: Well, Qualcomm has no interest in being a network operator. But they certainly would like to see the spin-off take fire to boost demand for wireless broadband (re: their EV-DO). It’s a typical practice for them I call “seeding the market”, and it’s very forward thinking as there is not yet significant demand for streamed media. Odds are it won’t pan out well (just as several other ideas have flopped), but they only have to be right once to hit it big again.
Q: Since MediaFLO will using an ODFM technology, is this a sign that OFDM is going to drive Qualcomm's next-generation chipsets?
A: I think OFDM will play a bigger role in Qualcomm’s designs going forward (where it’s appropriate). When it comes to chipsets, Qualcomm has demonstrated competency in integrating whatever customers demand – be it GSM, WCDMA, OFDM or maybe even Wi-Fi. As long as OFDM offers performance advantages, they’ll play.
Q: Speaking of Wi-Fi, do you think that Wi-Fi-enabled handsets will hurt the success of EV-DO and other 3G technologies, or increase usage of these networks (or both)?
A: I think Wi-Fi is shaping up to be a serious threat, and this is no surprise to anyone in Qualcomm. But I think it hurts Qualcomm less than the operators, who will lose control of the channel. Regional (and municipal) Wi-Fi deployments have the biggest chance of limiting the uptake of EV-DO, and pressuring service prices. Actually, Wi-Fi itself is not the true threat – it’s the aggregation of hotspots and roaming agreements for WLANs that potentially could cut out EV-DO. But so far these efforts have failed.
Q: Should Qualcomm be frightened by WiMAX? And do you think the vendor will ultimately support WiMAX?
A: Qualcomm should be concerned about WiMAX and anything like it – and they are. The standard itself will likely be stalled to no end as it is too broad right now, but some significant decisions will be made in 2005 that could put it on the fast track or send it out to be shot. Intel’s weight shouldn’t be underestimated here, and I think they’ll be successful in getting many in the industry to adopt the standard if it comes through in marketable form.
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+ TrackBacks (0) | Category: Big Picture | Cellular | Wi-Fi | WiMAX & Fixed Wireless
December 16, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
Glenn makes sense of this "Wi-Fi in the air" story.
The FCC didn't just suddenly decide to allow Wi-Fi on planes. Two years ago, the FCC lobbied the ITU to allocate global satellite spectrum specifically for the purpose of providing in-flight broadband. This is not news. The news now is that the FCC will be allowing a different form of backhaul (ground to air) to the planes.
The real reason we haven't see Wi-Fi on domestic flights yet is lack of resources and vision. Domestic airlines are terrified of any new cost, regardless of whether or not they may actually profit from it. They'll come to their senses after one of the more aggressive carriers (Jet Blue?) starts deploying Wi-Fi. I also look forward to seeing data from Lufthansa that shows they are nabbing customers from competing carriers based solely on their Wi-Fi service.
And there are other, equally compelling, reasons why I believe airlines will ultimately adopt wireless broadband backhaul to their jets: telemedicine, real-time aircraft monitoring, VoIP, security, content. Like any other commercial venue, wirleess broadband in general and Wi-Fi in particular will serve many audiences and many needs.
What I want to see discussed is the use of VoIP over Wi-Fi on aircraft.
VoIP is currently allowed on at least some of the aircraft using Connexion by Boeing and yet we have the FCC taking a year to study cellular phone use on aircraft. What happens when your cellular phone has Wi-Fi embedded in it? Will a flight attendant tell you not to use your phone even if you're only using Wi-Fi?
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December 15, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
Firetide has posted a case study on its first hotel Wi-Fi mesh deployment at a Holiday Inn in Bluefield, West Virginia (not exactly a high-profile property, but you gotta start somewhere).
I've been following Wi-Fi in hotels for a few years now and was surprised that mesh didn't find its way into these properties sooner. Anything that makes for a faster installation is going to attract the attention of general managers and integrators alike. I'm glad to see a real-world deployment.
According to the case study, the hotel used mesh routers and access points to cover the entire property (134 guest rooms, two conference rooms, the office and the pool are) in just two days. I estimate that a conventional Wi-Fi installation of this size would have taken five to seven days.
The hotel uses a DSL connection for backhaul, keeping operational costs low; a number of small hotel properties use DSL for their main connection rather than a T1 line. They'll have to upgrade as usage increases, but there's no sense is paying for what you don't yet need.
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December 09, 2004
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Vodafone and Connexion by Boeing
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December 08, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
Intel has released a few results of a survey of more than 2,000 men and women and their attitudes toward technology. The survey finds that women are more predisposed to wanting wireless-enabled laptops than men. According to the release:
Not often recognized as early adopters, women in the survey are revealed as leading the way with wireless Internet access, as more women than men believe this is one of the most important features for a laptop to have (39 percent women versus 29 percent men). While men (51 percent) and women (48 percent) agree that the airport tops the list of the most useful locations to have wireless Internet access, women (38 percent) are more likely than men (30 percent) to desire a connection in a doctor's office as well.
Wi-Fi isn't mentioned specifically, but I think that's what we're talking about here.
In a recent investor's briefing, Intel says that its Centrino (Wi-Fi) line has generated $5 billion in revenues in just two years. Not too shabby. Now Intel is aiming for the desktop. People may wonder why Wi-Fi would be useful in a desktop since it is a stationary device. For starters, wiring is a pain and always will be. But I think the larger opportunity is home monitoring and control. So many devices are going to be running on the home Wi-Fi grid that it will make sense to have all computers supporting Wi-Fi.
Finally, given such user demand for wireless devices, I wonder if Intel and Qualcomm will learn to play nice and start cranking out a line of Centrino/EV-DO devices. And why not add a Centrino/HSDPA line as well.
Yes, I know WiMAX is coming. But Intel should hedge its bets. It owns the wireless laptop market and should do all it can to keep that lead.
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December 07, 2004
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Siemens Loves OFDM
Siemens is getting some blazing speeds out of OFDM. It is also going to be building OFDM gear in partnership with Flarion. OFDM is becoming the technology of choice for next-generation networks. Qualcomm's on board. Wi-Fi uses it. Who's next?
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December 06, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
Another mesh hardware vendor is taking a shot at the emerging outdoor market. Strix announced its new equipment today, joining the likes of Tropos Networks and Belair Networks. Strix differentiates itsself by allocating radios to specific functions and supporting standards throughout.
Given the growing number of municipalities pursuing outdoor networks, this looks like a good move on their part.
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December 05, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
MuniWireless has culled together eight RFPs from municipalities around the US, all looking to deploy wireless networks. Most of these networks will use Wi-Fi and most munis hope to the charge for the networks. Rome Georgia is planning an 802.16 network for its own use. All in all, there's a nice mix of large and small, public and private.
You can download it here. Esme Vos has done an excellent job of making MuniWireless a valuable resource for tracking what has turned out to be quite a revolution.
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December 03, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
Scott Carson is no longer president of Connexion by Boeing. He's moving over to VP of commercial airline sales and in his place is Laurette Koellner, who was formerly VP of Internal Services. Hard to tell if this means major changes are in store for Connexion. I like Scott and suspect his skills are needed to help boost sagging jet sales. I still don't fully understand why the new Dreamliner jets don't ship with Wi-Fi by default; maybe he can change that. It seems like a Wi-Fi/picocell infrastructure should be included so that Boeing is in a position to sell the value-add services that airlines increasingly need: consumer voice, data, entertainment, real-time aircraft maintenance, telemedicine, etc.
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Posted by John Yunker
Take water, add wireless technology and what do you get? Some pretty nifty applications. Applications that conserve water and alert you to water leaks at home.
The Motorola home monitoring system includes a device that will send you an email if it detects a water leak. Anyone who worries about freezing pipes in the winter may find this device handy.
And Wellspring Wireless announced that is will be using ZigBee to develop wireless monitoring devices for multi-tenant buildings.
These devices allow landlords to monitor usage by unit. Landlords will love these devices because they can install them under the guise of "water conservation" while giving them the opportunity to bill tenants as water usage increases over a set limit. The ends do justify the means, particularly out here in Southern California.
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December 02, 2004
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Wi-Fi Article
Yours truly is quoted in an article by Jeannette Borzo on some of the creative uses for Wi-Fi networks once they're in place. Wi-Fi isn't just about Internet access anymore. In fact, I was at the Electronic Home Expo recently and was suprised to see just how many home monitoring devices and remote controls that now use Wi-Fi.
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Posted by John Yunker
The IEEE has a new working group up and running (802.22) and they've got a new acronym that is sure to confuse media and profit analysts for years to come: WRAN, which stands for wireless regional area network.
WRAN joins a growing list of acronyms defined by coverage area:
- WPAN (personal area network)
- WLAN (local area network)
- WMAN (metro area network)
- WRAN (regional area network)
(There is also 802.20 "wireless mobility" which is in desperate need of a good acronym.)
Labeling a technology by coverage area is an inperfect solution. WLAN can easily be powered up to cover several miles and WMAN is not likely to see many deployments over 5 to 10 miles (let alone 30), at least in the unlicensed band.
WRAN will attempt to bring order to new unlicensed UHF/VHF bands that will open up as part of the FCC-mandated digital television "upgrade." Specifically, the working group's charter is to "develop a standard for a cognitive radio-based PHY/MAC/air_interface for use by license-exempt devices on a non-interfering basis in spectrum that is allocated to the TV Broadcast Service."
The "non-interfering basis" will probably be the technical issue most contested by broadcasters in the years to come. But every little unlicensed crack in the FCC wall is a good thing and I wish this group luck.
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November 23, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
In 1999, Wingate Inns became one of the first hotel chains (if not the first) to offer free wired broadband access.
Today, the chain announced that it now also offers free Wi-Fi in all guest rooms and lobbies. This service is now live and available in 138 properties throughout the US and Canada. LodgeNet is the network provider.
The company tells me that between 20% and 30% of all guests have been using the free wired service; it will be interesting to see if usage increases now that Wi-Fi is on tap.
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+ TrackBacks (0) | Category: Wi-Fi
Posted by John Yunker
For the past two years in the US, the words Wi-Fi and T-Mobile were fairly synonymous. Until a few months ago, when SBC began announcing Wi-Fi deployments of its own: UPS Stores and McDonald's.
SBC announced two more deployments today:
-> Barnes & Noble (600 locations are live)
-> Avis (88 locations; 3 will be live by year end)
UPDATE: I just spoke with SBC about the deployments. Wayport is not involved at all with Barnes & Noble or Avis. Interestingly, Wayport is managing the Hertz Wi-Fi deployments. As for the SBC/Wayport/McDonald's rollout, I'm told that 1,741 McDonald's locations are now live. Not too shabby.
To the consumer, all that matters is that SBC is aggressively expanding its Wi-Fi network and, for now at least, giving it away for free to DSL customers. Even for non-DSL customers, the service is cheaper than what T-Mobile is charging: $20/month. To get that same rate from T-Mobile you also have to be a cellular customer.
So how will T-Mobile respond? My guess is that they're going to drop their pricing soon, at least for cellular customers. But perhaps I'm just being hopeful.
The good news is that SBC is establishing itself a major Wi-Fi player and, more important, understands that Wi-Fi is a low-cost value-add service rather than the expensive standalone business that T-Mobile continues to cling to.
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November 19, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
The ARC Group has a report out that says that Bluetooth will continue to outship Wi-Fi in high-end smart phones.
ARC says Bluetooth phone shipments will hit 6 million this year while Wi-Fi shipments won't hit 1.75 million until the end of next year. I think they are underestimating demand for Wi-Fi a tad bit, although I do understand the low estimate; after all, there aren't that many devices yet available.
But I do dispute their assertion that Wi-Fi will only account for 15% of all smart phone shipments in 2007. I think we're going to see Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as the Blackberry 7270 (due out early next year) be more successful than many predict.
But the point I want to make is this: shipments alone do not directly correlate with usage. Bluetooth is like the cruise control feature on cars - nice to have but not always used. I would argue that only half of all people with Bluetooth-enabled handsets actually use the technology regularly. I've encountered many people over the years with Bluetooth devices who either don't have a need for Bluetooth, or don't even know they have it.
Contrast that with Wi-Fi, where usage correlates more closely with equipment shipments. Since you have a pay a premium today to get a Wi-Fi-enabled handset, odds are that you'll be using it on a regular basis.
But I think the Bluetooth vs. Wi-Fi debate will get most interesting when both technologies find their way into handsets. I would love to know, for instance, which of the two technologies is most popular in the iPAQ h6315 Pocket PC.
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+ TrackBacks (0) | Category: Cellular | Wi-Fi
November 17, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
The iPass announcement yesterday that it will offer its enterprise customers flat-rate pricing for its Wi-Fi network is just another sign that the pay-as-you-go Internet access business model is going away.
And why is that? This quote from their press release pretty much says it all:
"iPass spends a lot of time in dialogue with our customers, and this pricing plan addresses the desires of some of our customers who wanted a way to make the cost of Wi-Fi use predictable," said Jon Russo, vice president of marketing at iPass. "This 'all-you-can-eat' approach allows the IT department to reliably budget the cost of Wi-Fi hotspot access across an entire organization or for a subset within it. iPass expects this new optional pricing plan to further accelerate Wi-Fi usage."
Charging by the minute or charging by the megabyte (MB) inevitably cause user frustration. Phone calls always seem to last longer than we expect and who honestly wants to spend their days monitoring the kilobytes of every email they send? Flat-rate pricing is a big reason why I favor Connexion by Boeing over Tenzing.
Flat-rate pricing is great news for content providers and, I believe, the future of the telecoms industry. VoIP would not be the phonomenon that it is today if consumers were paying for their broadband connections by the MB.
But what I find most interesting is that we're seeing a collision of sorts between per-minute voice plans and flat-rate data plans. If consumers want predictable billing and VoIP is proving that voice works just fine over broadband connections, how can per-minute voice plans survive in the long run?
As any carrier will tell you (privately), they can't.
Perhaps the 3G networks that we're now seeing go nationwide will give carriers the breathing room they need to start testing unlimited voice plans. Or, perhaps unlimited voice usage will be relegated to those Wi-Fi networks that carriers can't figure out how to profit from.
And cellular carriers can insert fine print into their contracts to prevent network overuse. Even Cox caps broadband consumption per month; it's just that the cap is set so high that few people are affected (so far).
Although the iPass announcement only affects IT departments. In a way, we're all IT managers when it comes to our personal cellular and data plans. And it's hard for me to believe that we all won't one day get those flat-rate plans we desire.
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November 16, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
Lufthansa now has 13 jets outfitted with Wi-Fi with more on the way. I'm told that usage is running at about 3% of occupied seats; this may not sound like a lot but given how new the service is and the fact that not every passenger travels with a Wi-Fi-enabled device, I'd say this is a very good number to start with. In addition, I'm told repeat usage is much higher than expected, although I was not given numbers; I would not be surprised as we see similar patterns with Wi-Fi usage in hotels.
Now when will an American carrier suck it up and embrace Wi-Fi? it would be a real shame if the major carriers let it slip them by while a JetBlue embraces it and puts them to shame, once again...
By the way, if you're thinking of flying Lufthansa, here are the routes currently offering Wi-Fi:
And here are the routes next in line:
Munich - Bangkok - Kuala Lumpur
Munich - Bangkok - Ho-Chi-Minh-City (Saigon)
Munich - Dehli
Munich - Hongkong
Munich - Shanghai - Guangzhou
Munich - Dubai
Frankfurt - Osaka
Frankfurt - Seoul
Frankfurt - Buenos Aires - Santiago de Chile
With Lufthansa, you'll eventually be able to circle the world without losing your broadband. Battery life, however, is another story.
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| Category: Wi-Fi
November 13, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
T-Mobile announced on Wednesday that it and six other carrier members of the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) now offer seamless Wi-Fi roaming.
The partnership represents 11,500 hotspot locations. Participating carriers include:
- BT Group (UK)
- Maxis (Malaysia)
- NTT Communications (Japan)
- StarHub (Singapore)
- Telecom Italia (Italy)
- T-Mobile (USA)
- Telstra (Australia)
The WBA roaming network looks something like this:
China Netcome is also a WBA member but not yet a part of the roaming network; I don't have a date when they'll participate. One thing to keep in mind is that this roaming deal only applies to hotspots owned by their respective carriers; it does not apply to the separate roaming partners that each carrier may have established on their own.
For instance, T-Mobile USA subscribers have the added bonus of accessing the Wi-Fi networks of T-Mobile carriers in Europe. This means that a US customer who is paying $20/month (plus a monthly fee for a T-Mobile cellular plan) can get Wi-Fi access in a dozen countries without spending a dime extra (at least for now). T-Mobile indicated that it plans to charge extra for international roaming.
If T-Mobile Can Add Six Partners, Why Not Add Wayport?
This roaming partnership is no trivial feat. It has taken more than a year for this effort to go live and I understand that there are many revenue-share issues to be resolved still. Apparently the carriers would all like to agree on one access fee (instead of the Europeans charging twice what T-Mobile USA charges); I'm doubtful that all parties can agree on one fee and still remain flexible enough to stay competitive as fees continue downward. Nevertheless, this deal is a big step forward and quite valuable to the international business traveler, a highly coveted customer segment to all carriers.
Which brings me to Wayport, the Wi-Fi gorilla in the US, with plenty of hotels under its belt and a growing number of McDonald's locations. Why can't T-Mobile get a deal done with these guys? Wayport is more than happy to sell T-Mobile access to its network, at least that's what Wayport tells me. They're not asking for a reciprocal roaming agreement or anything that would let a potential competitor onto T-Mobile's network.
T-Mobile remains mum on the issue. I hear lots of rumors why they haven't done a deal yet and it's impossible to envision a way that T-Mobile could avoid such a roaming deal. So, until T-Mobile gets more aggressive locally, the windshield warrior will take a back seat to the international road warrior.
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| Category: Wi-Fi
November 06, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
ComputerWorld mentions that Taipei is planning a citywide Wi-Fi network next year. And this is no small project either. They plan to blanket the city with between 15,000 and 20,000 access points, at a total cost of $70 million. I only wonder if they took a hard look at mesh networking to get the costs down, because they appear awfully steep.
Nevertheless, it seems that not a week goes by without another city investing in or studying a metro-wide Wi-Fi network.
Off the top of my head, here are a few cities to keep an eye on:
- New York City
- Philadelphia
- Atlanta
- New Orleans
- San Francisco
- Los Angeles
And I could quickly generate a list of 50+ smaller and rural metro areas that are also pursuing Wi-Fi networks. So why the big rush to Wi-Fi? And why should carriers be concerned?
Here are a few reasons why:
- The digital divide: Internet access is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity. Cities want to provide Internet access to all of their residents. It is a noble and necessary pursuit and must not be trivialized.
- The Wi-Fi effect: A funny thing happens when people install their first wireless home networks. They become a good deal more savvy about wireless technology. Suddenly, they're in charge of a network and it's not such a big deal after all. It's a minor, but important, shift in thinking that I believe will increasingly challenge the carriers. Metro wireless networking is little more than home networking on a larger scale. Town managers look at all the things they could do with a wireless network that they control. They could provide their emergency personnel with broadband connections, they could install video cameras around town with wireless feeds, they could track assets around town with wireless transponders, they could share one backhaul connection between multiple city buildings, dramatically cutting costs.
- Carrier arrogance and/or apathy: Carriers have been sticking it to cities for years, charging them unnecessarily high rates for emergency services, backhaul, etc., not to mention underserving parts of the cities that carriers view as low margin. It is only to be expected that cities want to take matters into their own hands to save money primarily and at the least keep the carriers honest. If carriers had been more aggressive, more innovate and more affordable over the years we would not be witnessing this municipal backlash. Cities don't want to get into the telecoms business, but if they can save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year (or millions), while providing better service to their staff and citizens, they're going to give it a hard look.
- Buzz: Cities are well aware of the attention they'll recieve by offering metro Wi-Fi networks. Cities want attention these days, to attract new businesses and residents. I'm not sure a city like New York or Los Angeles needs much more buzz, but this type of thinking makes great sense in smaller cities, those who want to attract people and business from the larger metro areas. Richard Florida (author of The Rise of the Creative Class believes this much. Internet access provides a cultural and business lifeline to people in smaller cities and rural areas.
That said, I understand that there are more than 10 states that prohibit municipalities from providing telecoms services. I also understand that the major telcos and cablecos are in a lobbying frenzy to prevent this as well.
Ultimately, they will fail. They will fail because the Wi-Fi cat is out of the bag and there's no putting him back in again. We, as increasingly savvy wireless consumers, now know what we can do with wireless networks if we own them. Wireless is a local phenomenon. We control Wi-Fi in our homes and municipalities are going to control Wi-Fi (and WiMAX) within their city lines.
Want to know more about municipal wireless developments? I highly recommend checking out this Web site.
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November 05, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
Intel and Microsoft are days away from a national ad compaign to promote the "Entertainment PC" shown here:
The HP Media Center
According to this article the companies seek to "show off how entertainment PCs can be used to view photos, listen to music and watch video throughout the home, not just the den or bedroom where computers are traditionally found."
The campaign is titled "Digital Joy" which alone should set off warnings bells. There is nothing joyous about anything Microsoft has produced over the past five years. Intel and Microsoft are also launching a new Web site, at www.digitaljoy.com (at least that's what the press release says; the Web site is currently blank).
I believe that homes in the future will indeed be streaming all types of A/V content between all types of devices. But I do not believe that Microsoft has enough credibility to succeed in the living room, not yet at least. The XBox is a good first step. But when Microsoft uses the term "PC" in the same sentence as "home entertainment," I just don't see much good coming of it. You don't want to create the impression, no matter how erroneous, that consumers will one day have to reboot their TVs.
I hope I'm wrong because I do want to see home networking get to the next level. But I'm more likely to bet on Sony, Apple and Linksys succeeding in this area than Microsoft.
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November 04, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
This Business Week writer tries to decrease his electronics payload (phone, computer, camera) from 25 pounds to just under 10 pounds. He pulls it off, but not without some hi-tech soul searching.
My first laptop was the Macintosh Portable (circa 1990), which weighed in at 16.5 pounds.
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| Category: Cellular | Wi-Fi
September 23, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
Wi-Fi in a baseball park? When the San Francisco Giants announced in April that they were offering free Wi-Fi at SBC Park, I was plenty skeptical myself. Who in their right mind is going to lug their laptop to the ballpark and actually take it out and start Web surfing?
But this isn't about laptops. We've got PDAs that support Wi-Fi and we're less than a year from two to three commercial cell phones that support Wi-Fi. Now that's a whole different ball game (sorry, I could't help it).
What I most enjoy about watching the evolution of Wi-Fi are all those creative applications that people use their networks for. Wi-Fi is known for providing Internet access, but that's just the beginning. Because Wi-Fi is standardized, because the gear is dirt cheap and because millions of people are buying Wi-Fi enabled devices, we're going to see a lot of creative applications take hold.
For starters, the Giants have launched the Digital Dugout.
Digital Dugout is a Web site that offers:
� Highlight Videos
� Real-time MLB.com Stats
� Interactive Games
� SBC Park and Local Information
On the horizon is a service that will allow you to order food online and have it delivered to your seat.
Everything is free right now, but I expect that to change. I can see services customized by seat section and eventually seat holder. Wi-Fi will allow the ballpark to create truly personalized services.
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| Category: Wi-Fi
September 14, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
The convergence of communications technologies is often portrayed as a wonderful thing for consumers. In many respects it is; the bundling of services often results in cheaper individual services and fewer bills in the mail. For example, I now pay for cable TV, voice and Internet access with one bill. But from the service provider's point of view, convergence can be downright messy; we now have cable companies selling voice services, phone companies selling media content, and wireless carriers headed into the fixed wireless (DSL substitution) market.
This recent article in The Wall Street Journal hits on the many of the major issues. Here's an article excerpt:
Over the past four years, the nation's largest phone companies have lost local phone lines by the millions as consumers fled to cellphones and e-mail. Many customers are giving up their second, and even their primary, phone lines. The intrusion by cable companies only made things worse, forcing the Bells to expand into other areas that promise more growth, such as wireless, high-speed Internet and television.
Covergence may not be pretty, but it sure does make the telecommunications industry exciting once again. These carriers have no choice but be creative and aggressive or they will be left behind; this will result in better prices for consumers and more creative services. Convergence isn't always pretty because creativity isn't always pretty.
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| Category: Big Picture | Cellular | VoIP | Wi-Fi | WiMAX & Fixed Wireless
September 07, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
I just spoke with T-Mobile and Accor and confirmed that all 359 Red Roof Inns will have 100% Wi-Fi coverage. Deployment has already begun and they expect to have all hotels covered in 12 to 18 months.
Guest room coverage may seem like an no-brainer for any Wi-Fi service provider, yet you would be amazed by the number of hotels that deploy Wi-Fi only in selected guest rooms or only in the public areas and meeting rooms. The Four Seasons of all places is known for offering Wi-Fi in only some of its rooms - and to make matters worse, they charge for access.
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| Category: Wi-Fi
Posted by John Yunker
This news blurb, by way of Fierce Wireless, claims that the Nintendo handheld gaming device due out later this year will include a headset that supports VoIP over Wi-Fi.
The technology behind Wi-Fi VoIP is plenty interesting, but for the consumer, Wi-Fi VoIP can simply be a lot of fun. Let's start with Wi-Fi. I love to watch the face of people when they first try Wi-Fi. They typically laugh at first, because Wi-Fi seems like magic. Add VoIP to the mix and even more applications can be supported, which translates into more enjoyment for the consumer, young or old. Game makers are wise to pursue Wi-Fi because they're in the fun business. Of course, if they succeed with Wi-Fi VoIP they'll also find themselves in the voice business, making the lives of telecoms executives possibly a bit less fun.
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| Category: VoIP | Wi-Fi
September 01, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
It looks like Philadelphia is taking a hard look at providing free Wi-Fi in the metro area, according to this AP article. Whether or not Philadelphia follows through, there is a clear trend toward municipalities viewing Wi-Fi as a free public service.
Philadelphia estimates it would cost $10 million to cover 135 square miles. Technical details are sketchy, but I'm assuming a mesh configuration to keep wiring to a minimum. Since municipalities own the lampposts, they have the ideal infrastructure to build upon, rent free.
For those who say that municipalities have no business in the Internet access business (like, perhaps, Philadelphia-based Comcast), I say they have many reasons to be in the Internet access business. Here are a few things they can do with such a network:
- Support police and emergency service personnel with wireless broadband access. Police can download high-resolution photos in real time, instead of relying solely on low-bandwidth radio communications.
- Security services can be expanded, namely video surveillance.
- Low-income citizens can save their precious dollars for better uses. I believe this is the most important reason for deploying free Wi-Fi city-wide. The digital divide is real and is unfair. And for a city that wants all of its citizens to be educated and to have equal access to information, free Wi-Fi is a must. I realize that affordable Wi-Fi-ready devices are also required, but Wal-Mart is doing its part with a sub-$600 Wi-Fi-enabled laptop. Wi-Fi devices are getting more affordable, and quickly.
I would estimate that there are about two dozen small cities in the US who already offer some type of wide-scale Wi-Fi service (though some cities are clinging to the notion of paid Wi-Fi). The article also cites New York City, which is also looking at a massive Wi-Fi deployment (I'm fairly confident this one will happen).
One final thought: Wi-Fi is inherently a short-range communications medium, making it not the ideal technology for such wide-range deployments. I suspect that many cities will also begin taking a close look at WiMAX; the technology isn't ready for prime time yet, but Wi-Fi is certainly paving the way for its success.
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| Category: Wi-Fi
August 30, 2004
Posted by John Yunker
Alan Cohen, VP of Marketing and Product Management at Wi-Fi switch maker Airespace, recently sent me an update on Airespace and their outlook on the Wi-Fi industry. I thought the email was worth including, so here are Alan's key in trends, in his words...
I wanted to borrow a few moments to update you on 8 points: 4 trends that reflect what we see happening in the market and 4 trends that characterize what Airespace has been up to over the past 2 seasons. Our business has grown dramatically, and the inflection point in the enterprise wireless market is as self-evident as the cooling season before us.
- We see the shift from Verticals to the Enterprise. Today, over 50% of our deployments are in the core enterprise segment. Contrast this with 70% of implementations which occurred in healthcare and education only a year ago. Moreover, the average first installation deployments have moved from an average of 35-40 Access Points to over 100. And we are seeing an increasing shift in senior management in using the wireless network. We provided the wireless network for the Microsoft CEO Summit, where over 100 Fortune 500 CEOs used tablet computers to interact, share information and participate in one of the top management summits in the world.
- We see vendor consolidation. Airespace has gained the number 2 position in WLAN systems market as well as a top slot in the overall Enterprise WLAN market. Following are the recent Dell’Oro numbers issued in the past 2 weeks.
Total Worldwide WLAN Switch / Server / Appliance Revenues
Total Market 2Q04
Vendor (Rank)
Symbol (1)
Airespace (2)
Bluesocket (3)
Others, including Aruba, Avaya, Hewlett-Packard, Trapeze Networks, and additional vendors.
- We see increased focus on Voice over WLAN usage and the entrance of significant handset and systems players into the market. Airespace, partnering with NEC in Japan, is supporting the upcoming launch of NTT DoCoMo’s dual mode FOMA project. The ramp of VoWLAN deployments is now starting to pick up, and we are active with all three of our OEM partners, NEC, Alcatel, and Nortel to support their efforts in this space. As you know, these 3 companies are major players (they own close to 40% of the enterprise PBX market) and their focus in enterprise wireless voice will play a tremendous role in further
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