WiFi broadband

ALSO NOTED: Samsung makes digital photo frame complete with WiFi; Meru Networks unveils new WLAN software for security; and muc

Mon, 19 Mar 2007 20:01:31 -0400

> Samsung Electronics displayed a soon-to-be-released version of its digital photo frame with WiFi. Article

> A consortium of companies that includes Alcatel-Lucent will build an urban WiFi broadband network in the Italian province of Trento. Blog

> Meru Networks introduced new wireless LAN software that helps to secure wireless traffic while optimizing mobile application performance. Article

> Mesh network vendor SkyPilot announced its SyncMesh software version 1.5, which enhances the voice over IP capabilities across SkyPilot's mesh products. Release

> Foundry Networks has launched wireless LAN access points and software designed to help increase the connection capacity and security of wireless networks. Article

And Finally... Win a chance to go fly fishing with Intel Chairman Craig Barrett. Article

Setback for Sacramento's WiFi network

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 20:01:35 -0400

Earthquakes, mud-slides, Congressman "Duke" Cunningham admits to taking millions of dollars in bribes and goes to jail: Any more bad news for California? In fact, yes: MobilePro is pulling out of a deal to set up a wireless network in Sacramento, the state's capital, saying the city's request for a network funded entirely through advertising is not financially feasible. The Maryland-based company had worked with Sacramento officials for more than a year on the proposal to cover the city with WiFi, following in the footsteps of other cities around the US.

MobilePro president and chief operating officer Jerry Sullivan said the city's most recent request asks the company offer free-high speed access to all residents, supported through advertising revenue and without the city as a so-called anchor tenant, or financial backer. He said the company had planned to spend more than $8 million to set up a network of thousands of access points. The service was planned to offer free, streaming-ads-supported lower speed service, and a faster-speed subscription-based service. The city's demand that the entire service be free and ad-supported at all speeds undermined the company's business plans. "Based upon MobilePro's research and experience as one of the leading WiFi broadband wireless network service providers to municipalities in North America, MobilePro does not believe that an advertising-supported business case is financially sustainable," d service featuring streaming ads,

MobilePro won a competitive bid last year to work on the Sacramento project, beating out competitors including Motorola and SBC Communications. A pilot project offering outdoor public WiFi Web access and real time video was inaugurated in the city's Cesar Chavez Plaza Park with great fanfare in April. The initial phase had the support of city officials and MobilePro.

For more on the Sacramento deal
-read this Boston Globe report
- and David Gardner's InformationWeek report

MORE: Chaska, Minnesota, was among the pioneers of muni-WiFi. An analysis of what actually happened on the ground in this small city in the state of a thousand lakes reveals that city leaders could talk the talk, but could not walk the walk. Report.

Kiwi telecom, iPass ink secure network deal

Tue, 21 Mar 2006 19:01:37 -0500

This is important news for business travelers and the companies which employ them. Telecom New Zealand has signed an agreement with iPass to launch Telecom Office Anywhere, a service which would allow users to access their company networks and files securely from New Zealand and more than 160 countries. Telecom Office Anywhere provides users with access to their company networks and applications from their PC or laptop anyway they wish by using WiFi, broadband or dial-up on Telecom's 3G network in New Zealand and Australia and selected mobile data cards overseas.

As far as we can tell, this may well be the first secure solution which spans all of Telecom's available access technologies, provides a global footprint and enables single log-in to company networks. The Telecom Connection Manager is the interface which connects users to their company's network. Users follow a single secure log-in process. Available WiFi and mobile data networks are automatically presented to the user for wireless access.

For more on this global roaming service:
- see information at Telecom New Zealand's Web site