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Cellular show in Orlando to offer WiFi network
By Bob Brewin (IDG) -- The Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) plans to offer 802.11B wireless LAN access to people attending its trade show next week in Orlando, a sure sign that that WiFi technology has gained the attention of the cellular industry. Tom Wheeler, president and CEO of the CTIA, said in a statement that the decision to offer WiFi access at the cellular show marks "a leap into the next era of wireless," adding that "there is a great, synergistic opportunity for WiFi and existing wireless carriers to work together to build a seamless national network that will bring consumers into the next era of the wireless Internet." Bellevue, Washington-based Voicestream Wireless has already acquired a nationwide WiFi public access provider: Richardson, Texas-based Mobilestar Network Corp. Kansas City, Missouri-based Sprint PCS Group has made an investment in Santa Monica, California-based Boingo Wireless Inc., which offers nationwide public access through a number of providers, including Mobilestar.
Alan Reiter, an analyst at Wireless Internet & Mobile Computing in Chevy Chase, Md., said that by offering WiFi access at its convention, the CTIA will introduce "tens of thousands" of cellular industry personnel to a technology that he considers complementary and not competitive to high-speed data services that the cellular carriers plan to role out. Next-generation high-speed data systems planned by the cellular carriers provide speeds between 144K and 384k bit/sec. over a wide area, while WiFi offers 11M bit/sec. throughput, usually within a range of several hundred feet. Kimberly Kuo, a CTIA spokeswoman, said the Association expects about 40,000 attendees at the trade show. She said the show network will provide cellular carriers and suppliers "a good opportunity to work with WiFi." Cisco Systems Corp. will showcase its mobile WiFi technology during the CTIA show in partnerships with Orlando-based ITEC Entertainment Corp., which uses 802.11b technology to transmit news and entertainment programming to buses operated by the local public transit system (see "WiFi speed enables on-bus broadcasts," link below). The Orlando Convention Center offers wall-to-wall WiFi coverage, according to Don Engler, vice president of marketing at Smart City Networks in Las Vegas, which is the Convention Center's ISP. The CTIA said show attendees can lease WiFi access cards, but didn't provide pricing details. The Association said the WiFi access will be sponsored and underwritten by Boingo. |
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