Tech titans launch Wi-Fi company

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.com.com/2100-1033-976225.html' target='_blank'>http://news.com.com/2100-1033-976225.html</a><br /><br /></div>WiFi! WiFi! Come and get yer red hot WiFi!<br /><br />"Intel, IBM and AT&T have officially thrown their combined weight behind the effort to create a nationwide network of public "hot spots" that would give people wireless broadband Internet access from just about anywhere.<br /><br />As expected, Intel Capital, along with Big Blue, AT&T and investors Apax Partners and 3i, announced the creation of Cometa Networks--formerly known as Project Rainbow--a new company focused on deploying hot spots throughout the United States. Hot spots are public areas where people can access the Internet using products based on 802.11b, or Wi-Fi, a wireless networking standard with a range of about 300 feet from a network's access points, or radio transmitters."

[JornadaJ]

Who-hoooo...hope it actually comes to pass...

[sweetpete]

It did seem from the article that they are targeting to be a reseller of the infrastructure.

I guess that is a smart approach as they may not really want to handle all the marketing to consumers. They will target corps., ISP's, etc. and allow for different services to be offered.

It should be interesting as these guys have the muscle, money and wherewithal to pull this off and pull it off well. I'm really interested to see how\if this will put pressure on 3G deployments on carriers. Also, will they run to the government and ask for help in regulating this unregulated spectrum somehow :roll:

[Paul]

I can see it now. People complained about T-Mobile's HotSpot drowning out their free APs... imagine Intel, IBM and AT&T's multi-million dollar equipment. Can you say "Where'd my access point go?"

Time to bust out those pringles cans. :D

[GadgetDave]

Interesting that AT&T thinks that this has more value than a faster rollout of its GPRS (and later EDGE, etc) services ...

But I'm all for it! :)

[sweetpete]

Interesting that AT&T thinks that this has more value than a faster rollout of its GPRS (and later EDGE, etc) services ...

But I'm all for it! :)
I don't think it's ATTWS, but ATT corporate or data. You have to remember that they are acting independently of each other ... for the most part

[bdegroodt]

Anybody find a web address on Cometa for more information?