Category: HotSpots

El Camino Hospital last week become one of the first to provide high-speed wireless access to patients and visitors, making access available throughout its hospital campus and two off-site dialysis centers. Via [informationweek.com]

From fancy hotels to fast-food joints, the number of venues offering high-speed wireless Internet access is expected to grow at a heady clip this year. But industry analysts aren't expecting laptop users and their credit cards to follow. Via [wired.com]

Tropos Networks today unveiled an upgraded Version 3 of its system, a feat that will allow the company to target bigger and more densely populated metro areas with its widescale Wi-Fi solution. Via [rcrnews.com]

SBC Communications Inc., the number two local phone company in the U.S., reported Monday that Wayport Inc. will deploy SBC's FreedomLink Wi-Fi servicein up to 6,000 McDonald's Corp. restaurants by the end of next summer. Via [forbes.com]

Linda Branagan would seem to be the ideal customer for entrepreneurs and telecommunications companies looking to make money selling wireless Internet connections. Via [iht.com]

Wireless service providers are finally launching high-speed third-generation networks after years of delay. 3G lets you use your laptop or cell phone to download and swap big files like games, photographs and even short video clips. Via [forbes.com]

Phones based on the Global System for Mobile Communications, already popular in Europe, use the Subscriber Identity Module to resolve billing among many networks. Via [eweek.com]

Free Wi-Fi service is proliferating, and it shows up sometimes in strange places. Via [computerworld.com]

Wi-Fi hotspots will only meet the needs of small customer groups and for the majority of hotspots there will be little or no return of investment. So says the Scientific Institute for Communication Services or WIK, Germany’s leading research and advisory institute for communication services. Via [theregister.co.uk]

The leading Wi-Fi provider recently won a contract to unwire up to 8,000 McDonald's restaurants, and now has a new model that does away with venue revenue-sharing and could ignite big changes in the paid access space. Via [thefeature.com]

Cometa Networks' announcement that it is suspending operations has its former clients—and the providers who court their business—scrambling to pick up the service. Via [eweek.com]

Cometa Networks may be closing its doors, but the health of the Wi-Fi industry is robust, according to industry players. Case in point: Airpath Wireless' Wi-Fi management platform is being used by roughly 500 wireless ISPs. Via [wirelessweek.com]

A survey found that 72% of business travellers asked said onboard wi-fi web access would make them more likely to choose trains over cars or planes. Via [news.bbc.co.uk]

Seattle Wi-Fi users may find slightly fewer hotspots because Cometa is closing its doors, but the shutdown shouldn't hurt the overall growth of the hotspot market. Via [seattletimes.nwsource.com]

Startup Cometa Networks on Tuesday said it planned to shut down after failing to attract the additional investment needed to expand its Wi-Fi network nationwide. Via [techweb.com]