Hotspots Are Hot

ABI Research predicts that in 2006 the number of commercial Wi-Fi hotspots will grow by 47% worldwide to 143,700. While almost three-quarters of these sites (74%) are still found in North America and Europe, the Asia Pacific region is growing very rapidly. Europe is still the market leader with over 57 thousand hotspots. One major driver of Wi-Fi hot spots is retail establishments. A prominent example is McDonalds, which has moved to add hotspots to 17% of its 4,000 locations. More than 675,000 access points will be shipped this year specifically for use in hotspots.

Symbol Debuts New RF Switch

Multi-platform, multi-network hardware to integrate Wi-Fi, RFID, WiMAX, etc.

Got an empty roof in Houston? The city may need it

Mayor Bill White took another step toward a municipal WiFi network yesterday, asking building owners to lease space on their roofs for network base stations for $1,000.

Editorial: Bogus Experts, Bogus Concern

Broadband Reports has an editorial about so-called free-market think tanks faking interest in broadband deployment to maximize revenue. Their focus is not to increase broadband deployment. That would require offering broadband services to rural portions of America, where their employer's ROI would be dubious and stock prices would suffer. Rather, they want regulation demanding muni wi-fi projects be banned -- under the guise of no regulation.

Andrew to Buy EMA Wireless for $50M

Georgia-based EMS Wireless racked up revenues of $28.5 million during the first half of this year from sales of its base station antennas and in-building repeaters for cellular networks. Andrew Corp. said it expects to achieve annual synergies and lowered corporate spending of between $5 million and $10 million beginning next year.

Tropos to Unwire Rock Hill, SC

Rock Hill, South Carolina has chosen Consulting Services Group (CSGData), a wireless network integrator and Tropos to deploy a city-owned wireless network for public safety and utilities. Rock Hill issued its RFP last June 2006. The Tropos mesh nodes will be deployed for the municipal Wi-Fi network which will initially cover 32 square miles with backhaul connections to the city%u2019s fiber ring. Tropos mobile routers will be installed in police and fire vehicles, permitting immediate access to critical state and federal databases, along with remote viewing of security surveillance videos from the field via laptops. Additionally utility vehicles, building inspectors and other municipal workers will utilize PDAs in the field to access the municipal network for remote processing of paperwork.

ABI claims Wi-Fi far from dead

Fixed wireless broadband is on the rise, and WiMax, the standardized version of fixed wireless broadband, will be available in some areas this year. With a theoretical range of 30 miles and a throughput of 72 Mbps, 802.16e-based chipsets are expected in laptops and other mobile devices by late 2006. With such range, throughput and mobility, will WiMax eclipse Wi-Fi? Should businesses kiss their wireless LANs goodbye? Philip Solis, a senior analyst with the Oyster Bay, N.Y.-based research firm ABI Research, thinks not.

Univ of Washington: Unwired by Aruba

Aruba Networks today announced that the University of Washington has completed the first phase of its three-year project to deploy ubiquitous mobile access across its Seattle campus. To date, the university has deployed fourteen Aruba 6000 mobility controllers and over 2,000 Aruba AP-70 access points. The wireless network is expected to be completed in the summer of 2008 and will provide seamless mobility for 39,251 students and 27,600 staff across the entire Seattle campus, which comprises 218 buildings on 643 acres.

Decatur seeks ISP to run municipal wireless network

The city of Decatur is looking for an ISP that will provide customer acquisition services as well as operate and maintain a wireless network that will serve educational, residential, commercial, municipal and public safety customers within the city's boundaries.

The Future of WiMAX?

Will WiMAX eventually take over from 3G networks to be the wireless broadband technology of choice?

Wireless HD specification due in 2007

Several leading consumer electronics companies are expected to announce Tuesday that they are working together to develop a new standard for transmitting high-definition audio and video signals wirelessly. WirelessHD will use the unlicensed 60GHz radio frequency band to send uncompressed HD video and audio at 5 gigabits per second at distances of up to 30 feet, or within one room of a house. While most other wireless audio and video transmissions occur in the 2.4GHz-to-5GHz range, WirelessHD says neither will allow the fast transmition speeds required for high-definition content.

Hartford Launches First Stage in Muni-Built Wi-Fi Network

Hartford, Conn., spends $1m on pilot program to start gapping massive digital divide. The pilot project will encompass 5,000 homes and 75,000 people, with an additional 50,000 commuters exposed downtown. The city will sell 900 refurbished computers at $150 each, no more than one per household, coupled with a 45-minute training session. The computers will have Wi-Fi installed. More in-depth classes will be offered at libraries as the network expand.

Cisco Says 50% Of WiFi Problems Caused By Interference

Cisco, which sells 55% of Wi-Fi Access Points in the market, now says that 50% of the problems in a Wi-Fi network are caused by interference, but more importantly, interference from outside the network itself. The fact that interference comes from the noise floor, microwaves, other WiFi networks, baby monitors, phones, and other devices is important, because network planners and administers have a diminished ability to plan around or 'fix' outside interference in the unregulated 2.4Ghz spectrum. The linked report from ABI Research notes that Cisco made the claim in conjunction with their announcement to re-sell a partner solution to the problem of interference, but the bias may be limited since it is not their solution, but a re-sold one - indicating a real need that Cisco could not meet itself. If 55% is the case for the average Wi-Fi network (office, warehouse, etc.) then what are the implications for outdoor networks that are more exposed to interference...and cause more of it, too?"