05-20-2003, 02:17 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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SBC Building Public Wi-Fi Network
The number of companies joining the party just seems to grow larger and larger.
"SBC has recently taken steps toward building a public wireless local area network, the company said Monday. The service is an attempt to fend off competition from the cable industry, say analysts, who note that SBC is the second major telephone company to use the popularity of Wi-Fi wireless networks to better compete against such rivals. SBC spokesman Michael Coe said the broadband and telephone provider has begun shopping for the equipment needed to create public hot spots, which are places such as coffee shops or hotels where SBC customers can connect to the Internet or their office computers without wires."
If broadband is finally taking off, perhaps it's providing the incentive to see all of these public networks. One of the biggest problems though, I believe, is the heterogeneity of all of them. Are we going to subscribe to 10 different Wi-Fi networks for ubiquitous coverage?
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05-20-2003, 02:30 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,185
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Maybe this is where a Boingo type operation can come into play. Help all the different networks consolidate onto one account. Tough one to figure out since the telcos seems to be deploying the service to retain market/customers. They may not want to play the co-opetition game. They best if they know what's good for them. :twisted:
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05-20-2003, 02:34 AM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by bdegroodt
They may not want to play the co-opetition game. They best if they know what's good for them. :twisted:
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Of course, when have telcos ever done what's best for them? You know the deal with Verizon ISDN and DSL over the years, don't you? 
--janak
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05-20-2003, 02:34 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 416
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Re: SBC Building Public Wi-Fi Network
On the one hand, I think this is a great move, because the more hotspots, the better, I always say... (okay, I sometimes say)
On the other hand, this is a great point (below), but just how I've seen companies like Cingular come along and give you nationwide long distance (where they handle all the details behind the multiple vendors), I wonder if the same thing will happen with "nationwide" WiFi access -- where a company sells you the service and coordinates all the details for you.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Janak Parekh
One of the biggest problems though, I believe, is the heterogeneity of all of them. Are we going to subscribe to 10 different Wi-Fi networks for ubiquitous coverage?
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And on the third hand, since I have an undying hatred towards all things SBC (a.k.a. SBC Ameritech, a.k.a. Ameritech), this is terrible news. This means that if their wireless service is anything like their phone service, we'll have to wait 3 months to get our wireless cards to connect to the access points. And numerous other problems... like if you want to cancel your account with them you have to wait on hold for 2 hours minimum, and you keep getting put on the bottom of the ever increasing caller backlog, full of angry customers, no doubt.
P.S. I had several bad experiences with them, by the way (I'm sure you couldn't tell!!)
__________________
"And then she understood the devilish cunning of the enemies' plan. By mixing a little truth with it they had made their lie far stronger."-C.S. Lewis
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05-20-2003, 03:32 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 430
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Re: SBC Building Public Wi-Fi Network
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Originally Posted by Janak Parekh
One of the biggest problems though, I believe, is the heterogeneity of all of them. Are we going to subscribe to 10 different Wi-Fi networks for ubiquitous coverage?
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I would expect the companies to extend the roaming agreements to allow users to roam between networks. This seems like a reasonable expectation to me. Of course, if the roaming agreements are not there, then dont expect there to be one for WiFi as well.
Now if only we could get WiFi Hotspots in New Zealand :wink:
__________________
Darryl BurlingReporting from the inside :-)blog: www.burling.co.nz |
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05-20-2003, 04:49 AM
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Theorist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 267
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I've been using T-Mobile's HotSpots for a couple months and it's great being able to find a spot to sit down and get some real work done just about anywhere I go -- there's always a Starbucks nearby with access. With T-Mobile, I know to look for Starbucks or Border's Books. With 10 different networks running in a city, even with some type of universal access, how am I going to keep track of all the access points -- or will I need to drive around and sniff for them?
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05-20-2003, 06:05 AM
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Philosopher
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 544
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Well, it looks like the U.S. telco companies are going to screw up WiFi the same way they have screwed up cellular for the past 10-15 years. With all the TDMA and CDMA and GSM and prorietary this and propriterary that it's no wonder that I have to carry two cell phones (one GSM and one TDMA) and I still only get a respectable signal about 70% of the time. And it's not like I travel to one horse towns. How about the NY Metro area, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, etc.
Now they want me to look at the sticker on the back of my PPC (what an idea) like the logos on the back of my ATM card to figure out where WiFi will work. No thanks!
Wireless is not a new concept to me. I owned a Palm VII a week after it became available in the NYC area several years ago. I loved the total freedom I had to flip up the antenna and collect information in an instant. Why can't all these guys just get together, pool their resources and let me choose which provider will manage (and disperse my payments accordingly) my WiFi account based on customer service, not based on which provider has the 7 Eleven down the block on their Hot Spot list this week.
I will pay $40-$50 per month for WiFi "all the time-anywhere". But as long these companies keep managing their little fifedoms, I am keeping my money in my pocket.
Just think of the U.S. with three large telco companies with service areas scattered across the country. Only problem is the people on system "A" can't communicate with the people on system "B". And the people on system "B" can't communicate....and so on. Hey, great network, and great service area, but really a whole lotta nothin'.
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05-20-2003, 08:43 AM
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Swami
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 4,396
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It's Not The Same
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Originally Posted by jimski
Well, it looks like the U.S. telco companies are going to screw up WiFi the same way they have screwed up cellular for the past 10-15 years. With all the TDMA and CDMA and GSM and prorietary this and propriterary that it's no wonder that I have to carry two cell phones (one GSM and one TDMA) and I still only get a respectable signal about 70% of the time.
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It's hardly the same. TDMA, CDMA and GSM are different signal specifications. With WiFi (at least 802.11b), there's only one signal specification. Yes, you'll likely have to change your WiFi configuration based on which system you're using, but you will not need multiple WiFi cards (or, worse, PDAs).
Even if some company decides to use 802.11a or 802.11g, you can just get a combined card and you're in.
Steve
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05-20-2003, 01:12 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 333
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Re: It's Not The Same
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Originally Posted by Pony99CA
Yes, you'll likely have to change your WiFi configuration based on which system you're using, but you will not need multiple WiFi cards (or, worse, PDAs).
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What if yo have to use a card provided by the ISP, because they've locked all their access points to only allow specific MAC addresses?
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05-20-2003, 03:02 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 55
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Re: It's Not The Same
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Originally Posted by rlobrecht
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Pony99CA
Yes, you'll likely have to change your WiFi configuration based on which system you're using, but you will not need multiple WiFi cards (or, worse, PDAs).
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What if yo have to use a card provided by the ISP, because they've locked all their access points to only allow specific MAC addresses? |
Better yet, some of them will use Cisco's LEAP and others will use another EAP variation, and all of us who got regular non-EAP-just-WAP cards will have to either buy new cards or forget about service...
Dave
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Linear Mode
