AirCell’s newly-acquired radio spectrum license might change the world of in-flight Internet access for passengers aboard US commercial airplanes. The new spectrum would allow “affordable” broadband service without conflicting with the federal ban on in-flight cell phone use. The calls, which would travel over a different frequency, wouldn’t pose a threat to aircraft navigational systems.… Continue Reading
Monthly Archives: June 2006
Google Forging Ahead With Wi-Fi Efforts
Google will provide free wireless Internet access service to its hometown of Mountain View, Calif. in a phased rollout that begins this summer. Volunteers providing feedback for the project can sign up for Wi-Fi this summer, with public service coming available later this year. Meanwhile, Google is working with Earthlink to blanket San Francisco with… Continue Reading
Alvarion Launches WiMax Do-It-Yourself Device
Alvarion has launched BreezeMAX Si, a low-cost, self-installable indoor customer premises equipment for the wide-area wireless technology. Carlton ONeal, Alvarion’s vice president of marketing, said the device is “cheap and easy to install” and has “the size of “a one-slice bagel toaster.” The CPE, which, according to ONeal, will allow customers and small businesses “to… Continue Reading
Intel Looking For Peaceful Wi-Fi Co-Existence
Researchers at Intel have developed a new technology that could address network performance degradation in wireless networks resulting from interference generated by devices like microwave ovens, cordless phones and baby monitors. The Spectrum Sensing technology enables a Wi-Fi radio to locate such interference and increase its signal to subdue the background noise. During early tests… Continue Reading
Atheros And Broadcom Combine Over 802.11n
Speed may be the goal, but interoperability is the number one concern among 802.11n vendors and user-hopefuls. The 802.11n standard is hoped to achieve markedly faster transmission speeds with higher quality at longer distances and with less interference. Unfortunately, current 802.11n draft-compliant products have tested at less than desired levels, even coming short of results… Continue Reading
Chicago Wireless Plan Advances
Chicago plans to spend $18.5 million to blanket the city in Wi-Fi so its citizens can easily access and afford the Internet. Approximately 7,500 antennas will be needed to create the wireless network, with access points mounted on top of city-owned streetlights and lamp poles as well as privately-owned sites. The city is looking for… Continue Reading
WiFi Badges Locate Doctors In The House
Getting hold of doctors in an emergency has for years been done through pagers. With the ubiquity of wireless networks in hospitals, Vocera communications has come up with thier Vocera Communication System. It’s akin to the communicator in Star Trek, featuring voice commands to talk to specific people, groups of people, or to locate and… Continue Reading
4.9 And Wi-Fi In One Card
Motorola is releasing a new wireless card, but not one meant for ordinary consumers. The Card operates as a normal 2.4 Ghz 802.11b/g card but also operates on the licensed 4.9Ghz public safety spectrum. This combo card allows for alot of flexibility for emergency personnel and first responders to setup networks without having to compete… Continue Reading
Wireless Networking Kit Sales On The Up
As any wardriver could tell you, the sales of wireless networking gear is on the rise. $639 million dollars worth of gear was sold in the first quarter of 2006 alone. WiMax also is on the rise, with sales expected to top 1.7 Billion by 2009. That’s alot of gear. Via [networks.silicon.com]… Continue Reading
Will WiMax Play Second Fiddle To 3G?
WiMax and 3G are destined to compete in the Austrlian market. Unfortunatly WiMax has a mobility problem, it’s limited to fixed location installations right now. 3G on the other hand has mobility. The future won’t be decided till 2009, but content seems to be a big factor in which will win. Via [pcworld.idg.com.au]… Continue Reading
Airgo Debuts Wi-Fi Range, QOS Enhancements
Airgo has released True MIMO Media, a quality-of-service enhancement for its “Multiple In, Multiple Out” scheme of multiple antennas. The technology aims to boost range and effectively rid packet errors or wireless interference. STMicroelectronics and Caton Overseas are expected to utilize this latest innovation for their reference designs and set-top boxes. Via [pcmag.com]… Continue Reading
IT – Beware Of Consumer Wi-Fi Phones
Nokia’s 6136 and Samsung’s T709 are a new kind of cell phone; they’re Wi-Fi enabled and ready to provide uninterrupted connections no matter where you are. Wi-Fi enabled phones are intended to travel seamlessly from Wi-Fi to cellular without a loss in data. But users be warned: if dropped calls will wreak havoc on your… Continue Reading
BWI Trying To Make Waits Better With Free Wi-Fi Access
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is expanding wireless Internet access throughout the airport to make traveling more convenient for their flying customers. BWI joins airports in Canada and across the US in offering Wi-Fi as a free customer service rather than the paid concession it once was. Holdouts in the wireless conversion are major… Continue Reading
China: U.S. Is In Wireless ‘Conspiracy’
China is crying foul over the IEEE’s rejection of the Chinese backed WAPI system back in March. The IEEE chose the widely used and favored 802.11i standard instead. The Chinese are claiming a conspiracy by the US to have thier own proposed standards accepted. Via [seattlepi.nwsource.com]… Continue Reading
Sacramento Wi-Fi Deployment Hits A Wall
The dream of municipal WiFi always seems to have one problem; how do you pay for it. Google and Earthlink seem to think that in San Francisco, they can support it through advertising. However in Sacramento, Mobilepro, the company that brought wireless to Tempe, Arizona, seems to think they can’t. The trouble seems to stem… Continue Reading