Cometa Closing Up Shop

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.cometanetworks.com/press/cometa_051904.shtml' target='_blank'>http://www.cometanetworks.com/press...ta_051904.shtml</a><br /><br /></div>"Cometa Networks today announced that it will suspend operations within the coming weeks. While Cometa has demonstrated the attractiveness of the wholesale Wi-Fi model by securing relationships with premier brands in both the Service Provider and Retail Venue industries, Cometa is dependant on substantial external financial and strategic investor capital. However, the financial return for investors was not perceived to be sufficient to attract the necessary capital to achieve critical mass."<br /><br />Cometa was known for rolling out a national <a href="http://www.cometanetworks.com/network.shtml">Wi-Fi hotspot network</a>. While Wi-Fi is great, it's still not proven that one can make a business model out of it. Does anyone have numbers on how T-Mobile is doing with their HotSpot service?

[bjornkeizers]

I read about it yesterday in the USA Today. It's a shame really, but that's business for you. Expand or die, it's as easy as that.

[doc]

I don't have numbers about T-Mobile but I can say that when I lived in the Northwest it was well worth the $30/month for T-Mobile. Since I've moved to Indiana it's not as great.

In Seattle it used to be that just about everywhere I went, especially downtown, I could get onto a T-M hotspot. Here in Indiana I hardly see T-M but I do see some Cometa. I was just about ready to sign up for them and cancel my T-M.

I wonder if T-M will pick up the spots from Cometa?

[James Fee]

Guess the sign on the local Barnes and Noble that says WiFi soon (with the sexy Cometa logo on it) is worthless. 8O

[bdegroodt]

Guess the sign on the local Barnes and Noble that says WiFi soon (with the sexy Cometa logo on it) is worthless. 8O

At least you saw a sign. I saw nothing of these guys from the day the announced their grand plan to take over the world. Maybe the hotspot operators of the world need to unite behind the "lock your AP" message. It seems I find more open APs than hotspots when I'm remote. And what am I to do? When I turn on my PPC, it automatically hounds me about available APs. :twisted:

I am a bit surprised they weren't able to merge up with one of the other operators to salvage the customers they signed.

[jpaq]

Overall, I think that people are nickled and dimed to death with monthly bills for services.
$20/ month for this
$50/Month for that
Cell Phones
Internet
Telephone
The bills just keep piling up. People get tired of it, and everyone out there wants just another $10 a month for another service.

The T-Mobile approach is WAY to costly. I'm going to pay $30 a month for WiFi access? Not hardly. My broadband at home is about that. I'm not going to double my monthly internet expense. NO WAY!

Yes, I have value for WiFi access, but not that much value. Give me something for $8-$10/month unlimited use. Then we might have a workable model.

Here's An Idea
An alternative.... Individual locations supply the hardware for the Wifi HotSpot and the vendors pay to offer their service through it. Create competition.
Example:
Starbucks installs the HotSpot at their expense.
T-Mobile, Cometa, SBC, Cingular, Verizon, etc. pay Starbucks a piece of the access fee they get to offer their services through the Starbucks hardware. This creates competition, competitive rates, and a better deal for the consumer.
:D

[jimski]

Just like you can't expect people to pay for the air they breathe, WiFi by the minute will never fly. It will remain a niche market until someone delivers it, the right way, to the masses.

How about charging me $800 for my next PPC and provide unlimited, anytime, anywhere wireless. Or sell me an annual license for say; $100 for 1 Mbps, $200 for 2 Mbps or $400 for 11 Mbps (anytime/anywhere of course). Don't nickle and dime me with daily and by-the-hour fees for "limited, at best, access.

I think of the current state of WiFi hotspots to toll booths on the freeway. Money hungry roadblocks wherever you go.

[madmaxmedia]

I think the current best way is the local little coffee shops and stores that offer free Wifi as a perk. They have internet access anyway, just buy a cheap Wifi router and with a little setup there you go. Of course this doesn't get you on a nationwide network or anything like that, but that involves a lot of cost that results in monthly fees that just aren't worth it for most people.

It's a shame about Cometa though, B&N was going to offer $15/month or $5 for 24 hours, that's half the price of TMobile and Starbucks. There's enough B&N in SoCal that it would almost be worth it. I at least could see buying the occassional day pass.

I think the next generation of Wifi (802.16) is when we'll see more prevalent coverage and usage. At that point you could potentially ditch your DSL/cable and sign up with a wireless carrier and have good coverage at home and some roaming as well (at least in urban areas!)