hotspot

Kineto gets more funding, more attention from Motorola

Lynnette Luna — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:17:34 -0400

Kineto Wireless raised $15.5 million and announced Motorola has become a strategic investor in the fixed-mobile convergence company. The company's unlicensed mobile access (UMA) technology is the basis for dual-mode cellular/WiFi offerings such as T-Mobile's Hotspot@Home service. Kineto's technology is also one of the key technologies used in the radio access network (RAN) gateway approach for femtocell architectures.

Motorola's investment is a part of a broader commercial relationship with its Home & Network Mobility business. Kineto's existing investors -- Oak Investment Partners, Sutter Hill Ventures, Venrock, Seapoint Ventures and InterDigital--also contributed in on the round, and NEC, which recently announced a strategic investment in the vendor, is being counted in the total as well.

For more:
- read Unstrung

Related articles:
NEC makes strategic investment in Kineto Wireless
Japan's SoftBank to launch 3G femtocells in January

In-Stat: Hotspot use is growing but revenues aren't

Lynnette Luna — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:47:38 -0400

A new report from In-Stat says that while the number of WiFi hotspots offering public access continues to grow along with users on a global basis, access revenues are not keeping pace with the growth in use. The trend could be explained by In-Stat's survey that found an increased reluctance of users to pay for hotspot access. Nearly 50 percent of people the firm surveyed said they would only use a free hotspot.

"Because of this trend, hotspot operators are turning to other methods to generate revenues," said Daryl Schoolar, In-Stat analyst. "Operators have started bundling hotspot access with other services, such as fixed and mobile broadband. This way, consumers can access hotspots without paying a separate fee, and operators can generate some access revenue by bundling the cost of the service into a bigger service package that consumers are willing to purchase." Release

Sierra Wireless buys Junxion

Lynnette Luna — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:31:01 -0400

Sierra Wireless has purchased the assets of Junxion for an undisclosed amount. Junxion offers the Junxion Box that essentially creates a hotspot that allows users to remotely connect to WiFi and share 3G connections. The box enables applications such as telemetry, landline replacement, landline fail-over and video monitoring--all heavy data-loading applications. Junxion's technology is already used by AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel. Sierra plans to incorporate Junxion with its mobile and machine-to-machine groups.

For more:
- check out Unstrung

Related stories:
Share Your 3G with the Junxion Box. Junxion story
Sierra ends CradlePoint acquisition. Sierra story

Starbucks' free WiFi promo hits a snag

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 06:59:53 -0400

Starbucks began offering free WiFi to coffee drinkers who visited its Card Reward web page to either sign up for a $5 rewards card or register an existing gift card. Users who sign up before July 14 get a free drink and everyone who signs up can use two hours of AT&T WiFi in Starbucks shops free every day. The only catch is that Card Reward users have to make a purchase with their card at least once a month.

But this plan was complicated when customers overwhelmed the Card Reward site yesterday causing the company to put up a message saying that they were working on the problem and to please check back later. This morning the site was operational.

This latest offer follows Starbucks' announcement earlier this year that AT&T would start providing WiFi service in Starbucks stores. T-Mobile USA, however, continues to offer the service as well.

For more:
- see IDG News Service

Related stories:
T-Mobile USA: WiFi subs can still use Starbucks. Starbucks WiFi/AT&T story
Starbucks snubs T-Mobile, signs WiFi deal with AT&T. Starbucks WiFi story

Russia requires registration of WiFi devices, hotspots

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 06:59:54 -0400

So much for the ease of WiFi. Russia's newly formed regulatory super-agency, Rossvyazokhrankultura (short for the Russian Mass Media, Communications and Cultural Protection Service), is requiring the registration of every WiFi device and hotspot, according to news agency Fontanka.

The registration requirement also applies to home networks, laptops, smart phones and WiFi-enabled PDAs, and registration only permits use by the owner. Registration for personal devices reportedly takes 10 days, but registering a hotspot--including a home network--is more complicated, involving a set of documents and technological certifications. Any networks in Moscow or St. Petersburg need the additional approval of two federal agencies.

To find out more about Russia's new requirement:
- check out this article from Techworld

Related articles:
Analysts say Russian market big for WiMAX Russian WiMAX report
WiMAX arrives in Russia Russia WiMAX report

Samsung's t339 may be next Hotspot@Home phone

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:59:54 -0400

According to an FCC filing, Samsung's t339 has 802.11 built in, which has led to speculation that the device is slated for T-Mobile USA's Hotspot@Home service. The t339 would be yet another mid-range phone for the service, which got a BlackBerry 8300 Curve added to its lineup last September. In a recent interview with FierceBroadbandWireless, T-Mobile Product Manager David Sholkovitz said the operator plans to offer some 10 WiFi-enabled devices by the middle of this year that will work on the operator's Hotspot@Home UMA service.

For more about the WiFi-enabled device:
- check out this post from Engadget Mobile

Related articles:
Wi-Fi Alliance focuses on driving Wi-Fi enabled devices Report on WiFi devices
T-Mobile adds landline service to HotSpot-at-Home Report on T-Mobile's UMA service

Ruckus enters 802.11n fray

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 07:59:53 -0400

Ruckus Wireless introduced enterprise WiFi equipment based on the 802.11n draft standard but only for the 2.4 GHz band, and not the 5 GHz band. Most vendors are manufacturing dual-band equipment for use in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, betting that the enterprise WiFi market will move to the 5 GHz band.

Ruckus announced the ZoneFlex 7942 access point that uses the company's smart antenna array. The AP can be used as a hotspot or as part of the ZoneFlex wireless LAN system.

For more about Ruckus' 802.11n AP:
- read this report from Techworld

Related articles:
Enterprise vendors put pre-802.11n stakes in the ground Editorial
Survey says enterprises interested in 802.11n Report

T-Mobile rolls out Internet calling plans

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:59:57 -0500

While T-Mobile is part of a group of operators embarking on a price war on the mobile voice side, the operator also upped the ante on its HotSpot@Home offering, rolling out Talk Forever Home Service in Seattle and Dallas for $10 per line per month for unlimited domestic calls. The router costs $49 and the service requires a broadband connection.

The new service runs on top of T-Mobile's existing HotSpot@Home offering, which enables converged WiFi and mobile-phone calling using one of four handset models that T-Mobile offers. Pricing was recently lowered for this service to $10 per month for unlimited domestic calling for up to four cell phones. Both HotSpot@Home and Talk Forever Home require a minimum $40 per month voice calling plan.

In an interview with Wi-Fi Net News, Joe Sims, vice president and general manager of T-Mobile's broadband products, said T-Mobile is looking to "address the remaining reasons people were reluctant to cut the cord."

To find out more about T-Mobile's new Talk Forever Home Service plan:
- read this piece from Wi-Fi Net News

Related articles:
T-Mobile may extend VoIP with Hotspot@Home Report
T-Mobile introduces unlimited calling over Wi-Fi Report

Starbucks snubs T-Mobile, signs WiFi deal with AT&T

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 06:59:55 -0500

Starbucks made a deal for WiFi services with AT&T, effectively ending its six-year relationship with T-Mobile USA for WiFi hotspots. The new deal will bring Starbucks patrons a mix of both paid and free WiFi service at Starbucks' more than 7,000 U.S. locations.

Starbucks said users of its Starbucks membership card will receive two hours of free wireless access each day, while subsequent two hour blocks will cost $3.99. The company also plans to offer monthly memberships at $19.99 that include access to any AT&T hotspot nationwide. Current AT&T hotspot subscribers will also have access to the service at Starbucks.

At least for T-Mobile, its customers can continue using WiFi services at no additional costs through an agreement between T-Mobile and AT&T.

Interestingly, Apple, which has an exclusive deal with AT&T for the iPhone, also has an exclusive partnership with Starbucks, enabling customers to download music onto their iPod Touch, iPhone or PC or Mac running iTunes at participating Starbucks locations. At this point, however, only AT&T DSL customers have free access to its WiFi hotspots throughout the country. iPhone users are left out of the fray, despite the fact that the device supports both EDGE and WiFi.

For more on the AT&T/Starbucks deal:
- read this press release

Related articles:
T-Mobile USA introduces nationwide UMA service Report
FON takes on Starbucks with Fonbucks campaign Report

MIT, Cambridge students develop WiFi co-op

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 06:59:53 -0500

Students at MIT and the University of Cambridge have come up with an idea for a "wireless cooperative," that would link privately held hotspots throughout a city into a sort of large-scale mesh network.

"The idea is that current residential and business owners could open up their WiFi access points and implement controlled, secure tunneling practices to allow guest access but also protect all parties involved," Ars Technica explains. "The system would offer a trusted point on the Internet that guests could access via an encrypted tunnel, preventing any kind of unfortunate mingling or malicious activity between the host of an access point and its guests."

This idea is reminiscent of a few similar initiatives we've seen in the past--most notably Fon--but would not require any additional hardware, at least in theory.

For more on WiFi Co-ops:
- see this Ars Technica article

Related article:
Get a router, share WiFi, anger your ISP: For free Report

Operators want femtocells

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 06:59:54 -0500

The hype surrounding femtocells reached a fever pitch in 2007. These router-sized mobile home base stations promise to solve the many shortcomings faced by existing WiFi/cellular fixed-mobile convergence services and enable operators to offer consumers high-speed data, VoIP and voice services in the home with reduced infrastructure costs. Operators had begun talking about their trial plans, while Sprint launched commercial services in two markets.

The Femto Forum, an industry group advocating femtocell technology, was born this summer with a handful of smaller vendors, but closed out the year with some 40 members that include Alcatel-Lucent, NEC, Nokia Siemens Networks, Motorola, and ZTE. Operators have also joined the ranks: Bharti Airtel in India, Bouygues Telecom, Carphone Warehouse Networks, Orsacom Telecom and Telefonica 02.

Still, there's much work to be done before femtocells can become a widespread reality. Chief among them are lack of standards, network integration and cost assumptions.

Related articles:
BT evaluating femtocells Report
Ericsson bows home femtocell Report

Femtocells: Are they really a good thing for vendors?

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 06:59:58 -0500

So Ericsson says it doesn't see a mature market for 3G femtocells until 2009 and won't enter the market until then. (See story No. 2). Will it be missing out on the market if it waits that long? Major operators are chomping at the bit to deploy these router-sized mobile home base stations in 2008. Femtocells promise to enable operators to offer consumers high-speed data, VoIP and voice services to the home with reduced infrastructure costs and cheaper end-user prices.

Is that necessarily a good things for infrastructure vendors? As an article in Unstrung notes, femtocells threaten to commoditize the market for base stations, obviously not a good thing for vendors struggling with margins in the infrastructure business. That may be one reason why Ericsson is stalling. Nokia Siemens is also staying out of the business for now.

Vendors like Ericsson would prefer a femtocell market using GSM since the technology is commoditized already. The vendor is ready to go with a GSM femtocell as part of a home gateway that incorporates a WiFi access point, home router and DSL modem. But no operator has committed to using it yet.

I suspect that operators are keen on skipping 2G femtocell technology and opting for the 3G flavor since they stand to gain more revenues in terms of wireless data services and voice.

Still, a host of unanswered questions surrounding femtocells exist. The big ones are around business models and how to integrate femtocells in the network. There isn't a standard way yet. So Ericsson does have a good reason for saying the 3G femtocell market isn't mature yet.--Lynnette

Ericsson staying out of 3G femtocell market for now

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 06:59:56 -0500

The world's largest infrastructure provider Ericsson says it is staying out of the 3G femtocell market until the market is mature enough. The vendor has developed a GSM femtocell but Ericsson doesn't believe the 3G femtocell market will mature until 2009. Analysts, however, say the the move is likely due to the fact that femtocells threaten Ericsson's core macro cellular infrastructure business. Femtocells pose a commoditization risk to Ericsson, which is already struggling financially.

To read more about Ericsson's views on 3G femtocells:
- take a look at this article from Unstrung

Related articles:
Ericsson announces residential femtocell Report
Femto Forum adds new members Report

CBS sets up WiFi zone in New York

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:59:55 -0500

While Earthlink ponders a jump out of WiFi, broadcaster CBS is making an interesting move in the space. The company is blanketing midtown Manhattan with WiFi access and delivering news, sports and entertainment for free to users of cell phones, laptops and other WiFi-enabled devices, say the iPhone? Dubbed the "CBS Mobile Zone," the massive hotspot will cover a 20-block area from Times Square to Central Park and from 6th to 8th avenues.

CBS is giving away routers to local businesses such as restaurants and coffee shops. The initiative is part of a pilot program with New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New York City Transit to test the system. CBS has also partnered with several companies, such as Tropos and FON, to develop the WiFi Zone.

The hotspot also utilizes CBS Outdoor, the media company's network of billboards and marketing displays throughout the U.S. Several routers have been attached to the billboards and signs.

Users logging in to the free CBS service will encounter a homepage supported by advertising that offers news, music, ringtones and social networking. If this works out, CBS will likely apply the concept to other CBS Outdoor properties, the company said.

The news comes at a time when hotspot providers are recording a noticeable jump in traffic from Apple's iPhone, which features both AT&T EDGE service and WiFi. The concept also opens the door to a number of content-related plays for CBS.

For more:
- check out this article from InformationWeek

Related articles:
Cities need to drive muni-WiFi Report
From sizzle to fizzle Report

T-Mobile's Hotspot@Home service gets skinny phone

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 06:59:54 -0500

T-Mobile is set to sell a more attractive-looking device for its Hotspot@Home service. Sometime next month the Samsung Katalyst will hit T-Mobile store kiosks. The thin slider phone features, of course, a WiFi radio to move between GSM and WiFi hotspots. But it doesn't really include much else. It has a 1.3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, music player and myFaves, to name a few. T-Mobile will likely price this on the low end.

For more about Samsung's Katalyst:
- read this posting from The Boy Genius Report
- Katalyst image

WiFi-enabled devices could bring change to hotspot owners

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 06:59:58 -0400

WiFi-enabled devices could bring change to hotspot owners
Must public hotspot providers prepare for an onslaught of mobile WiFi-enabled devices? According to Motorola (See story No. 2), Apple's iPhone is forcing mobile operators to seriously consider selling devices with WiFi capability included. And last week, Apple announced the WiFi-enabled iPod Touch, which offers the same music selection and pricing as its desktop counterpart. Apple has teamed with Starbucks, where users will receive free access to the iTunes Store over the in-store WiFi.

This momentum could bring WiFi mainstream, which means hotspot providers may find themselves grappling with the prospect of heavy use and difficulty monetizing it. But just think of the new business models that can be created through enhanced hotspot partnerships with mobile operators around services and content. We very well could see a metamorphosis of the WiFi market. Of course, I'm getting ahead of myself.--Lynnette

P.S. Bert Williams, vice president of marketing with Proxim, offers a counterpoint to my recent editor's corner, Let's get muni-WiFi and WiMAX players together. Read his response here.

SPOTLIGHT: Boston goes WiFi

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 20:01:32 -0400

OK, so it is not as historically significant as throwing tea into the harbor, but still: The city of Boston has taken a small step in the direction of muni-WiFi. Mayor Thomas Menino has unveiled two free Internet hotspots, one in Quincy Market and another at Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park, near Long Wharf. A mayoral task force has recommended that Boston designate a nonprofit entity to build a citywide network which would act as a wholesale Internet provider, allowing a number of Internet service providers in turn to offer the service to customers. Galaxy Internet Services and SkyPilot donated the service and equipment for the Quincy Market hotspot, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 103 helped install the radio equipment. The Columbus Park hotspot was developed by Verizon, Cisco, the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the Boston Parks Department. Check out the City of Boston's website.

SPOTLIGHT: WiFi fleecing in London?

Tue, 21 Feb 2006 19:01:33 -0500

Just read what Barry Collins of the London Times has to say about hotspot service: "These days, you don't need to have your credit-card details stolen to be completely ripped off online. The sky-high prices at most of Britain's wireless Internet (WiFi) hotspots is nothing short of scandalous. Frankly, it's a stick-up... Stroll into a Starbucks café with your laptop and click on your Internet browser. Up pops a screen brazenly demanding the princely sum of £5 for a mere hour's net access on its hotspot, operated by T-Mobile, as you sup on the company's already pricey froth, or £13 for a day pass. As if." Article

Free-hotspots.com offers free WiFi in London

Tue, 04 Oct 2005 20:01:38 -0400

While Google is mulling whether or not to offer free WiFi, Dublin-based Free-hotspot.com, launched only two weeks ago, is already offering free WiFi in 25 locations in London. The service is aimed at business people and travelers. The company is now aggressively pursuing advertisers to support the free service. The company is also in the process of publishing a directory with the locations of its hotspots. The service, by the way, is free not only to consumers, but also to venue owners, as the company installs the equipment gratis. Its hotspot directory will offer free promotion to venues allowing the company's Internet access gear to be installed. Customers will be able to use the service without registering or providing personal information. They will be shown a 20-second ad from a specially booked sponsor for each location.

To our London subscribers: The service is available, among other places, at the Idle Hour, SW13; Azzuros Bar and Restaurant, Docklands; and Savings Bar None, southwest London.

For more on Free-hotspots.com:
- see this MediaWeek report