Category Archives: Deployment

Alcatel WiMAX Test Center Opens

Alcatel and India’s state-run Center for Development of Telematics (C-Dot) have opened a research center for the development of ready-to-industrialize products and reference designs that are based on WiMax Forum standards. The facility seeks to show the advantages of WiMAX IEEE 802.16e- 2005 and the residential and business uses of VoIP, high-speed Internet connection, asContinue Reading

Downtown Bellevue Is Getting A Wi-Fi Network

The city of Bellevue in Washington is deploying a WiFi network in the downtown area. Once installed, the network will initially extend over a 1.5-acre area from City Hall and Meydenbauer Center on the east to Bellevue Square and the Downtown Park on the west. Eventually, according to Bellevue Information Technology Manager David Kerr, theContinue Reading

US Leads The Way For Free Wi-Fi Access

Foster City in California is offering free wireless Internet connection to its 29,000 residents. The scheme, which the city began implementing in early October, aims to lower costs and improve public services. MetroFi built the network and signed a service level agreement that would allow anyone owning a WiFi-enabled device to use the service. FosterContinue Reading

Wi-Fi Hot Spots Multiply Around The World

A study by ABI Research indicates that the number of WiFi hotspots around the world has risen by 47 percent to 143,700 in 2006. Europe — home to 57,000 hotspots — and North America account for 74 percent of the volume but Asia-Pacific is expected to surpass both regions in five years due to itsContinue Reading

Wireless Internet HotSpots Up 47 Percent Worldwide: Survey

This year will see an increase in the number of WiFi hotspots worldwide by 143,700 or about 47 percent, according to a new report by ABI Research. The research firm ascribed the trend to an increasing demand and use of WiFi, particularly in retail establishments and the hotel industry. Nearly three quarters of all hotspotsContinue Reading

Explaining To Business The Why In Wi-Fi

VARs could play a big role in convincing businesses to embrace WiFi. To do this, some suggest that resellers adopt the technology themselves. But, according to Foundry Networks product marketing manager Michael Hong, VARs need sufficient know-how and training in providing maintenance and support before they can deploy their own networks. Stephen Dane, director ofContinue Reading

802.11n Speeds Wireless LANs

Although considered a technology for the consumer market, 802.11n supports key applications that are useful to enterprises. These include ERP and CRM systems, workgroup computing applications, and various wireless backhaul applications, which need throughputs higher than what the current 802.11 standards can deliver. Such capacity is due to 802.11n’s features, particularly multiple-input multiple-output. MIMO improvesContinue Reading

New Orleans To Take City-wide WiFi Network Offline

New Orleans will shut down its city-wide WiFi network once EarthLink’s system becomes operational either later this year or by early 2007. The current network delivers a speed of 128 Kbps, with equipment supplied by Intel, Tropos Networks, and Pronto Networks to help the city restore its communications infrastructure following the devastation caused by HurricaneContinue Reading

Citywide Wi-Fi Spending Could Hit $3 Billion

A new report by MuniWireless.com indicates that U.S. municipalities will invest over $3 billion in public wireless networks over the next four years. MuniWireless.com founder Esme Vos ascribed the trend to increasing interest among cities and counties to develop their own wireless networks, which are either managed by them alone or in collaboration with aContinue Reading

Boingo’s Wi-Fi Net Puts Roots Down In Asia-Pacific

Boingo Wireless has partnered with three companies to expand its presence in Asia. The WiFi network aggregator inked roaming agreements with Singapore Telecom, StarHub — another Singaporean firm — and Philippine hotspot operator Innove Communications. It also has similar deals in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan. Via [networkworld.com]Continue Reading

Taking Wi-Fi Power To The People

FON has offered free WiFi routers in San Francisco and plans to do the same in New York later this year. During the “Freedom” events, the Spanish start-up would distribute its La Fonera, a newly-released device that supports 802.11g technology and allows broadband subscribers to share bandwidth with WiFi users. La Fonera complements FON’s softwareContinue Reading

Hedging The WiMAX Bet

Intel is banking on WiMax to break its unlucky streak in venturing outside the PC. Both established and young companies are expected to embrace the new technology. WiMax is seen by many as faster than cellular due to its reliance on MIMO. Via [commsdesign.com]Continue Reading

Canadian Town Gets WiMax

Despite being a small town, Hanna in Alberta, Canada is home to six WiMax towers. The facilities, which comprise Nortel base stations and customer premises gear (or subscriber stations) with radios based on the IEEE 802.16d fixed WiMax standard, were installed by Netago Wireless. The company offers subscribers various data plans, with uplink speeds rangingContinue Reading

Securing Your Network In A Growing Wireless World

A good reason to secure one’s wireless network is performance, according to Yankee Group analyst Tara Howard. But aside from that, there is not much difference between an unsecured and secured network. Nonetheless, some people prefers to have their networks secured and to do so, they should ensure that their firewall is properly working. TheyContinue Reading

Users And Vendors Make WiMax Plans

At the WiMax World in Boston, vendors unveiled plans on how they plan to take advantage of and are using the emerging technology. Roy Russell, founding chief technology officer of Zipcar in Cambridge, Massachusetts, believes his company can use WiMax to boost bandwidth to its fleet of 2,000 cars. He sees the possibility of installingContinue Reading