Author: Sherry Jones

Trango Broadband Wireless, a privately-held company founded in San Diego in the 90s, makes connecting to the Internet possible just about anywhere. Trango uses radio spectrum that doesn't require a license and requires just a base-station radio and a subscriber radio. A base station (access point) runs about $1,000, and a subscriber radio can go...

About 23,000 Michigan school children, mostly sixth-graders, were handed wireless HP notebook PCs, instructed to start a self-directed learning program (complete with highly personalized computer instruction), and left to their own devices. 1,500 teachers also joined the experiment, and a survey shows the teachers found the students were more motivated, had better student-teacher interaction, and...

Nokia's found a great way to sell phones in New York -- offer free Wi-Fi Internet access networks in 10 major city parks (including Central Park), and make sure park visitors need one of your phones to tap into the service. Users need a phone like the Nokia N80 and N91 or the Nokia 770...

Intel, with hopes of encouraging a nationwide service that equips notebook PCs for fast Internet access and Internet-based calling throughout the US, has invested $600 million in Clearwire. This is Intel's second investment in the Kirkland (Wash.)-based wireless broadband provider, and a big boost for WiMax. WiMax technology is used to cover large areas with...

Seoul's KT Corporation and SK Telecom are now both operating WiBro networks, a Korean version of the 802.16e mobile subsection of the WiMax standard. Korea's capital city was already wired via public hotspots, but mobile WiMax is offering more by providing wireless data speeds of several mbps plus a range that exceeds 1km. WiBro's only...

To date, no city has managed to make money with a municipal wireless network -- but that hasn't stopped new cities from trying. Those who started early are making the mistakes first, which is something those who follow can benefit from, but proponents insist Wi-Fi will ultimately gain in popularity. Current troubles for citywide networks...

Baltimore followed in the footsteps of cities across the US when it announced its plan to create an inexpensive citywide Wi-Fi access network. But Baltimore is approaching its network in an unusual way by focusing on the network's users rather than the network's technology. The city wants "digital inclusion" -- a way to include segments...

Intel Corp. representatives have plans to ship the "Rosedale 2" WiMAX chip within the next 6 to 9 months, according to a company spokesperson. Unlike the current chip, Rosedale 2 will support both the current fixed version (802.16d) and the new mobile version of the 802.16 WiMAX specifications. "Nomadic" or "portable CPEs," which are similar...

It appears airline passengers aren't as eager for in-flight Wi-Fi as proponents thought they would be. Boeing, creator of Connexion in-flight Wi-Fi service, has put a hold on future expansion of the service and may even sell or terminate the program. Connexion currently offers wireless service onboard 72 extended-flight planes, but the fee of up...

Front Porch, a messaging solutions provider, has created PorchLight, a TCP/IP appliance that manages a network's content insertion while users are browsing the Internet. Alerts and paid advertising such as payment-due notices and credit card renewal messages show up as pop-ups or redirections, grabbing the attention of users in a way that e-mail just can't...

If you can spare 5 bucks for a $60 router and you don't mind sharing your wireless connection with other users, you might want to become a "fonero." Foneros are folks who agree to install $5 routers from Spanish start-up FON and then agree to allow other FON users to share the wireless access point...

Municipal wireless broadband networks may be offering their citizens free or inexpensive Internet access, but they aren't expected to win over the broadband market. While citywide networks may be better than dial-up, they might not match the speed and quality of only slightly more expensive DSL. Telecom and cable companies still have an edge, and...

Wardriving may be a thing of the past once WiFi access points are scattered throughout the country and Internet access is free to all, but until then, moochers beware. A man was arrested in Vancouver, WA, after periodically parking in front of a coffee shop over a three-month period to use the shop's WAP (without...

For many cities, a municipal wireless network is no longer just a someday proposition -- in fact, Wi-Fi access is either already in place or in the planning stages for cities across the US. The new question to ask is "who." Who will have access to "free citywide access?" Updating wireless networks to reach all...

At about $20,000, Cisco's new Catalyst 3750g is a bargain if merging your wired and wireless networks into one will simplify your business life. Merging systems via Catalyst allows not only wireless laptop use but also dual-mode mobile phones and uniform security settings. Cisco has also released version 4 of their Unified Wireless Network software...