Intel Spearheads Proposal For Wi-Fi Venture

New York Times

Intel, IBM, AT&T Wireless, Version Communications and Cingular have been exploring the possibility of a company that would not only provide Wi-Fi, or 802.11, hot-spots but would also support roaming between cellular and Wi-Fi technologies, according to the article.

A number of cellular companies have expressed interest in Wi-Fi hot spots, particularly since 3G networks, the holy grail of high-speed wireless communications, are still a ways off. Telecom carriers are just now rolling out 2.5G capabilities, which can provide data transfer speeds that average 56Kbps, while Wi-Fi currently delivers 11Mbps in hotspots that can now cover as much as 500 feet.

The lack of high-speed coverage is leaving corporate customers hungry for high-speed wireless access, Richard Siber, a partner at Accenture, New York, said in a March interview.

"Security is No. 1," he said. "Coverage, ubiquity and quality of service all fall under No. 2."

Wi-Fi technology has garnered enough attention that virtually ever major carrier at the Cellular Technology and Internet Association's trade show earlier this year vowed to support the technology in one form or another. VoiceStream's T-Mobile already offers Wi-Fi access in Starbucks and other public locations.

A number of other providers, such as Biongo Wireless and GoAmerica, are aggregating hotspots, allowing users to access any hotspot in the company's network for a monthly fee.

At the same time, a number of vendors, including Intel and Toshiba, have said they are working on technology that would allow mobile workers to roam seamlessly between wireless cellular and Wi-Fi networks.