For Robv- "Frankly, this technology has the ability to turn these Wi-Fi hot spots into icebergs," Egan said.
San Diego Union – Tribune article by Jennifer Davies (courtesy of Saterly and AOL)
More snips>>>>>
"When you start looking at the telecom market as a whole, this technology provides the opportunity to reshape itself into a world without wires," said Bob Egan of Mobile Competency, a wireless consulting and research firm. "This is a small step. But small steps are important, as I believe Neil Armstrong once mentioned."
The implications for San Diego's Qualcomm also could be huge because the Verizon service is based on the company's patented technology. Qualcomm's future depends on the proliferation of these next-generation networks.
Egan said. Wi-Fi, or wireless fidelity, offers super fast Internet speeds but only in select locations, called hot spots,
"Frankly, this technology has the ability to turn these Wi-Fi hot spots into icebergs," Egan said.
Eddie Hold, of Current Analysis, a Virginia market research firm, agreed that Wi-Fi has its drawbacks.
"The convenience factor of Wi-Fi is quite low actually. I mean it is rather inconvenient to have to find a hot spot and then go there to log on," Hold said. "When I want to read my e-mail. I want to read it right now."
So far, reviews of the technology have been overwhelmingly positive. Analysts who have tried the service say they are impressed by its speed and its coverage area.
For instance, Broadband Access works well enough that you can watch streaming video on a laptop as you drive through Pacific Beach.
One British journalist raved about his experience: "Suspend your disbelief readers, this was 3G as it was supposed to be." He even mused about relocating to San Diego to take advantage of the service.
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SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Business -- Verizon launches mobile Internet access
Verizon launches mobile Internet access
Service will be tested in San Diego County, D.C.
By Jennifer Davies
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
September 30, 2003
A decade ago most people made their calls on phones tethered to the wall. The idea that you could call a friend while sitting on the beach was unthinkable.
The cell phone changed all that.
Today, the idea that you could make a high-speed connection to the Internet while sitting on the beach seems far-fetched.
Soon that could change, too.
Tomorrow, Verizon Wireless is launching a mobile Internet service that will provide speeds comparable to the cable modem or digital subscriber line service throughout much of San Diego County.
That means anyone with a properly equipped laptop, who is also willing to spend about $80 a month, can surf the Internet wirelessly on the sand at Ocean Beach or on the grass of Balboa Park.
While there have been wireless Internet services before, Verizon's is much faster. It is the first true third-generation, or 3G, network to be launched in the United States by a nationwide cell-phone company.
These 3G wireless networks have been touted for years but have yet to deliver on their promise because of technical delays and consumer indifference.
The success – or failure – of Verizon's Broadband Access service could help determine the future of the wireless industry as it gauges what consumers really want out of the mobile Internet.
"When you start looking at the telecom market as a whole, this technology provides the opportunity to reshape itself into a world without wires," said Bob Egan of Mobile Competency, a wireless consulting and research firm. "This is a small step. But small steps are important, as I believe Neil Armstrong once mentioned."
The implications for San Diego's Qualcomm also could be huge because the Verizon service is based on the company's patented technology. Qualcomm's future depends on the proliferation of these next-generation networks.
"We are pretty excited about this," said Jeffrey Belk, Qualcomm's senior vice president of marketing.
The question remains, however, whether consumers will be excited about cutting the wires and accessing the Internet via a mobile network.
Verizon seems to think so and plans an aggressive advertising and sales campaign for the service, initially targeting businesses and what it calls "mobile professionals."
But the real target will eventually be consumers looking for an alternative to wired high-speed Internet services, said Michael King, an analyst with Gartner Group, a market research firm.
"Realistically, it is wireless' answer to cable modems and DSL," he said.
Broadband Access will likely put pressure on other wireless companies to offer similar services, especially those that are courting the lucrative business market.
AT&T Wireless plans to offer a technology called EDGE nationwide by the end of the year, said Ritch Blasi, the company's spokesman. EDGE technology, however, provides slower speeds than Verizon's. AT&T plans to offer a super-fast wireless Internet service with speeds similar to Verizon's in four markets by the end of 2004. While most of the other cellular companies now have Internet networks, they provide speeds closer to slower dial-up services.
Other potential competitors for Broadband Access could be fledgling Wi-Fi companies, Egan said. Wi-Fi, or wireless fidelity, offers super fast Internet speeds but only in select locations, called hot spots, such as coffee shops, hotel lobbies and airport terminals, from which signals are broadcast. While the short-range wireless Internet technology has been hyped extensively, it is still not widely offered. In 2002, there were about 3,000 hot spots. By the end of this year, there will be about 12,000, according to estimates by the Yankee Group, a market research firm.
"Frankly, this technology has the ability to turn these Wi-Fi hot spots into icebergs," Egan said.
Eddie Hold, of Current Analysis, a Virginia market research firm, agreed that Wi-Fi has its drawbacks.
"The convenience factor of Wi-Fi is quite low actually. I mean it is rather inconvenient to have to find a hot spot and then go there to log on," Hold said. "When I want to read my e-mail. I want to read it right now."
But the success of Broadband Access is far from certain. Verizon is only testing the service in San Diego and Washington, D.C. For the service to really be useful to business travelers, it has to be available in every large metropolitan market, Hold said. That expansion might not happen if there is inadequate demand.
When the service was announced in March, Verizon acknowledged that the response from the two markets would dictate whether the technology is rolled out nationwide.
"Before I make that kind of commitment, I want to make sure that this is what the customers want," Dick Lynch, Verizon's executive vice president and chief technical officer, said last spring.
Marni Walden, president of the Southern California region for Verizon Wireless, said she is optimistic that this is a product businesses and consumers not only want but need.
"We are hoping demand will be what we think it will be, and that will drive our plans," she said.
Egan said demand will be dictated by how well Verizon does in providing and promoting the service. "If Verizon can execute by providing good customer service, reasonable pricing and a reliable network, I have no doubt it will be a hit."
So far, reviews of the technology have been overwhelmingly positive. Analysts who have tried the service say they are impressed by its speed and its coverage area.
For instance, Broadband Access works well enough that you can watch streaming video on a laptop as you drive through Pacific Beach.
One British journalist raved about his experience: "Suspend your disbelief readers, this was 3G as it was supposed to be." He even mused about relocating to San Diego to take advantage of the service.
Egan said generally Internet savvy San Diegansmight play an important role in the acceptance of 3G services.
"If this technology doesn't make sense in San Diego, it's not going to go over anywhere else," he said. "San Diego is an early adopter market, and it is time for it to stand up and show that 'Hey, this technology and market is real.' "
Jennifer Davies: (619) 293-1373; jennifer.davies@uniontrib.com |
