Tag: Commentary

In a Wi-Fi trend that's evolving from Concord to Rock Hill, Internet service providers are quickly installing wireless networks, even as they struggle to learn how to make a profit from the service. Via [msnbc.msn.com]

This week, the Lake Michigan resort community of Grand Haven became the first place in the United States to offer broadband Internet access via Wi-Fi citywide. Every part of the 6-square-mile city, plus 15 miles out into the big lake, is now covered by wireless Internet. Via [freep.com]

Imagine surfing the Internet wirelessly on your notebook--at blazing speeds--while riding a high-speed bullet train. Or zipping down the highway (as a passenger, I hope), checking the traffic situation ahead on a wireless-enabled PDA with a super-fast connection. Or making a Wi-Fi broadband connection even though you're miles away from the nearest hot spot. Via...

If you have been reading technology news lately, you'll know it's an unusually busy summer for mobile operators. European and American operators have been launching their much-delayed 3G services. Unfortunately, all of them have decided to price the service way beyond what a lot of people are willing to pay for slow 200 kbps connections....

When wireless networking first kicked off in the corporate world a couple of years ago, I honestly thought the concept of loitering outside with a Wi-Fi portable scrumping for free access would be incredibly short-lived. Via [vnunet.com]

This week’s IEEE summit highlighted the breakneck pace of change that is driving innovation in wireless, but also threatening to break its standards process apart. Political wars rage in areas like UltraWideBand and fast Wi-Fi, but more fundamental debates are taking place over how different specifications should coexist and which territory they should occupy. As...

'Be afraid, be very afraid' is the attitude of many companies when faced with the prospect of using a wireless network. Via [vnunet.com]

A new trend in thinking about the Wi-Fi service market is emerging, a reaction against the prevailing business model exemplified by Wayport, T-Mobile and others. Via [wi-fiplanet.com]

The IEEE has finally done what it should have done long ago: It ratified a workable security standard for 802.11 wireless LANs. Known as 802.11i, it's a significant event for the wireless industry and provides momentum for what many expect to be a major ramp up of WLAN implementation in the enterprise. Via [serverpipeline.com]

Despite a lot of recent attention, the wireless broadband technology WiMax is years away from wide use--and will take root in Europe and Asia before spreading to U.S. shores, according to a report. Via [news.com.com]

The competition among wireless broadband standards is strong and standard-certified WiMAX equipment won't appear until next year, but one market research firm is still predicting seven million WiMAX users by 2009. Via [commsdesign.com]

Tom Russell, who helped his sister and his mother piggyback on their neighbors' WiFi high-speed Internet access, said the setup procedure is relatively simple, although it may take some patience. All you need is a wireless network adapter for your computer, which can cost between $35 and $80. Some laptops come fully equipped to access...

Like a Robin Hood of the Internet age, Carrie Russell of South Boston takes bandwidth from the rich (neighbors who have wireless high-speed Internet connections) and uses it herself to surf for free. Via [boston.com]

I admit it: I'm a war driver. Cloaked in anonymity, I cruise the alleyways and byways of corporate America, lurking, searching, probing for a weakness. Via [computerworld.com]

"Corporate concern about WLAN security goes beyond eavesdropping, because they understand that 'rogue access points' can disrupt enterprise wireless LANs," said Ira Brodsky, president of Datacomm Research, a market research firm that focuses on the wireless industry. Via [technewsworld.com]