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Technology Stocks : LAST MILE TECHNOLOGIES - Let's Discuss Them Here -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: MikeM54321 who wrote (11607)	6/26/2001 12:41:21 PM
From: Kenneth E. Phillipps	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 12823

"Starbucks adding wireless to the menu nwfusion.com - Eventually cover 4000 stores in North America - Feature 802.11b wireless LAN connectivity from Mobile Star Network - Cost $ 15.95 per month or 20 cents per minute - Include a customized Web browser from Microsoft - Utilize Compaq wireless LAN cards and iPaq Pocket PCs Starbucks wireless network a sweet deal for MobileStar By CAROLYN DUFFY MARSAN Network World, 06/25/01 Starbucks Coffee this summer will launch one of the largest wireless network initiatives ever, rolling out high-speed Internet access in all 4,000 of its North American shops. The initiative is a boon to MobileStar Network, the ISP responsible for the wireless LAN connectivity in each Starbucks stores and the backbone network connecting the shops to the Internet. MobileStar expects Starbucks will account for 50% of its network footprint by 2003. "This is one of the largest wireless networks that is going to be deployed globally for sure," says Ali Tabassi, CTO and development officer at MobileStar. "This is our biggest project." Tabassi says MobileStar is seeing interest in its wireless network from other hospitality chains. Among MobileStar's customers are American Airlines Admirals Clubs and Columbia Sussex Hotels. "As we continue expanding our footprint to support Starbucks, it becomes more convenient for them to sign up," Tabassi says. Other IT companies benefiting from the Starbucks project are Microsoft, which is providing a customized Web browsing experience, and Compaq, which will provide wireless LAN cards and iPaq Pocket PCs for loan or purchase at the shops. "Starbucks was seeing more business people and college people come into their shops with laptops to drink lattes while they worked," says Dayna Fried, Compaq's spokeswoman on the Starbucks project. "[The company] thought: Why not turn Starbucks into a place to hold business meetings? They had to go wireless because they didn't want people to trip over wires." Starbucks began talking about its wireless plans in January and will launch the service in Dallas, Seattle and San Francisco by mid-summer. Each Starbucks will have an 802.11b wireless LAN that is hooked up to a T-1 line out to MobileStar's backbone. At each store, MobileStar is installing a wireless transceiver that can transmit and receive messages as well as a premises router and a miniswitch that hooks into a dedicated T-1. "We have deployed in over 350 Starbucks locations. The majority of them are installed in Seattle, San Francisco, San Jose, Dallas, New York and Houston," Tabassi says. When a person with a wireless device, such as a laptop or handheld, comes into a Starbucks shop and opens up the Web browser, a welcome screen will be pushed onto the computer that provides information about Starbucks' promotions. End users who want Internet access will need to sign up as subscribers to the MobileStar service. MobileStar will offer Starbucks customers two types of subscriptions that are good wherever they access the MobileStar network: monthly plans that start at $15.95 for 200 minutes per month or a pay-as-you-go plan that costs 20 cents per minute. To access the MobileStar service, Starbucks customers will need a wireless LAN-capable device. Starbucks and Compaq officials are working on a scheme to offer wireless LAN cards and iPaqs to customers on a loan basis if they don't have a wireless-enabled computer, Fried says. Starbucks also may sell wireless LAN cards and iPaqs - which retail for $500 to $1,000 - at some stores. All contents copyright 1995-2001 Network World, Inc. nwfusion.com "

To: MikeM54321 who wrote (11607)	6/26/2001 5:14:33 PM
From: Crossy	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 12823

Mike, first of all I would also like to point out that I really enjoy this debate on regulatory issues. Let me assure you that at least I think I understand your argument: You can't think of ILECs to deploy broadband when they have no incentive to do so. Is it that ? Then you outline that rules are not needed anymore because competition from MSOs is finally coming. You also seem to imply that if the ILECs could deploy what they wanted without others access to unbundled network elements and co-location then they would already have rolled out DSL express way. I would hold against this that the 96 Act didn't change the underlying motivation on behalf of the ILECs not to roll out DSL big time: their fear of cannibalization of T1 lines for business and metered ISDN lines for individuals. This strategic issue exists with or without the 96 Act. The act magnifies it only. The real issue here are cable MSOs. As soon as they entered the ILECs had to respond - with or without the 96 Act. So the 96 Act is NOT a shortterm solution IMHO and it does nothing to increase the speed of DSL broadband deployment BUT - it is a pathway to a competitive future and precicesly this "assymetric" regulation is to address the simple fact that there does exist a PSTN network that was created in a world of monopoly (the uneven playing field) One of Milton Friedman's greatest works is "FREEDOM TO CHOOSE" - a motivation I totally subscribe to. The title alone says it all. It's a thorough analysis on market systems and their merits but ONLY FROM A CUSTOMERS ANGLE ! They are the only one who count. K-Street lobbyists wouldn't like this angle, I'm sure, neither the Hollywood entertainment crowd, neither the ILECs. Friedman doesn't specially endorse anti-trust activities (he scolds some excesses where bigness alone but not a monopoly - IBM, GM came under anti-trust scrutiny) but he specifically focuses as competition as the ingredient of progress and the yardstick is choice. In Germany, great market economists like Walter Eucken or Eugen Mueller-Armack espoused similar views, in effect underlining the anti-trusts agenda of the "Bundeskartellamt" in Germany. This is really against the French pencheant for creating "national" champions in their industry. The European anti-trust office is pretty much modeled after this. The key agenda here is the establishment of competitive behaviour against all forces in place undermining competition. So far the German Bundekartellamt did an excellent job - one of the best pro-market institutions in the world. best wishes CROSSY