Here comes wifi in metropolitan networks. 2006 will be a big year.
<http://www.nbr.co.nz/home/column_article.asp?id=13886&cid=3&cname=Technology
World's largest WiFi network launched
Taipei City has joined a select but rapidly growing number of cities that provision wireless broadband access as an infrastructure utility -- in this case, with subscription fees that amount to about $15 per month.
The service is part of the an M-City (Mobile City) "Any time, any place, any device" plan that will see all 2.6 million residents come under one wireless mesh umbrella run by a private contractor in partnership with the city government.
The ambitious project has been running well behind schedule as technical difficulties are ironed out, but as of this week more than half of the city's population are under the mesh umbrella provided by build-operate-transfer contractor Qware.
During rollout, access to the network (WiFly), is free and Qware president Oliver Yang told the Taipei Times that the system had about 60,000 active subscribers.
That base would have signed on while the project was in its initial phase, which saw about 20 per cent of the city -- involving 30 mass transit stations and 150 metres of their surrounding neighborhoods -- lit up back in January after implementation was begun in September 2004.
Technology partners for the rollout include Nortel, Cisco, HP and Microsoft.
A Hewlett-Packard executive told Digital Lifestyles last year that Qware would spend $US70 million on the network, installing 15,000 to 20,000 access points around the city. Newer numbers suggest that could be closer to 10,000.
Under the agreement between Qware and the city, according to Digital Lifestyles, Qware will pay for installation and then pay the Taipei City Government royalties for the right to run the subscription business for a period of nine years, while the Taipei City Government must provide administrative assistance and give Qware the right to use public facilities such as utility poles, bus stations and overpasses for system installation.
The 272 square kilometer network will be the world's largest urban mesh network, but the number of cities offering or planning to offer infrastructure level wireless coverage is growing rapidly and now includes Sydney, Jerusalem, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Amsterdam and New York.
WiFi-enabled handsets are seen as key to the success of the venture and Qware is setting up an in-city telephone operation that will allow subscribers to make free calls using the network.
According to VuNet, Ennyah Technologies will rent out dual mode WiFi and GSM phones for a flat rate running between $US16 and $US33 per month, at least some of which will include unlimited international calls and internet access. The phones will also be available for short-term rental, catering to tourists.
Dual-mode handsets are available in New Zealand through Vodafone and can make WiFi calls using Skype, but this system will see the telephony provider integrated directly with the WiFi service.
Hutchison Global Communications, based in Hong Kong, will carry the calls over its international fibre optic network, VuNet says, noting that while all international calls will be carried free, local calls that connect to landline or mobile phones will be charged, at least initially.
... continued...>
Mqurice |
