re: Positioning WLAN/MWAN in the TALC: also "Project Rainbow" & AWS at Denver International
Jim,
<< combo cdma/W-Fi chip from Qualcomm ... It looked like a "formal" product announcement to me. >>
It did not look like a "formal" product announcement to me, and in fact no formal product announcement has occurred. [I had to go back and do a "sanity check on that <g>]
<< A webcast from an "analyst" conference for the world to see indicates to me that Qualcomm has announced their intention to incorporate WiFi (802.11 WAN) on their chipsets. >>
They have announced that "intention". and in fact they now have a bullet on a slide: the last bullet under "Coming Soon", which I take it means "coming soon" to a chipset on the Qualcomm roadmap.
Hopefully next year we will see the first commercial devices based on the MSM6xxx Qualcomm products announced 20 months ago in March 2001, and particularly those that allow multi-mode operation of cdmaOne/cdma2000 with GSM GPRS or 3GSM.
We also may see a product announcement at some point in time for a chipset that supports or incorporates WiFI.
They then could match or even improve on a capability that exists today in the GSM world where access to the LAN and Mobile WAN are married in a single device. In the interim the capability does exist already by virtue of the fact that multiple devices will accomplish the task at least in a rudimentary way, and of course multiple chipsets could be incorporated in a single device.
It is entirely possible that Qualcomm will partner with a device manufacturer for a multiple chip solution as an interim step.
One of the things that occurs to me however is that there is a decided difference in GSM v. CDMA, relative to filling in the device side of the equation that becomes an important piece of getting to a whole product solution. In the GSM world you have a number of chipset manufacturers supplying current gen and near term next gen product, any one of which can work with a device supplier to scramble together a combo device, and in fact Nokia already has. Of course Nokia is in the WLAN business so it ties into their mainstream. For all practical purposes (and I'm excluding Nokia/TI at this stage) in the CDMA world you have one chipset supplier, and they have an awful lot on their plate at the moment.
We are, however, at a relatively early stage of extending WLAN to hotspots in conjunction with Mobile WAN, but in terms of bowling pins we already have US mobile carriers T-Mobile offering WLAN at Starbucks, Borders, and some airports and hotels, AWS offering WLAN in 54 locations at Denver International with other airports coming on line soon, Sprint PCS announcing their intention to do the same thing, and Verizon (not Verizon wireless) already engaged.
My impression is that the convergence of WLAN and MWAN could happen rather quickly, however. Mobile carriers seem to be rushing to stake out turf. In the interim we have not heard much about "Project Rainbow" (IBM, Intel, AWS, Cingular, Verizon) since July. The initial action item for that consortium was to "take several months to decide whether there is a workable business model for the plan to build a a wireless data network across the U.S, that would enable users of handheld and portable computers to access the Internet and corporate networks at high speed using wireless links based on the 802.11 standard."
On a related subject here is a quick capsule of AWS's first foray into WLAN:
AT&T Wireless "GoPort"
• Launch: Early September
• Location: Denver International Airport
• Hot spots: 54
• Billing handler: Qpass
• Equipment provider: Nokia
• Price: $9.99 per 24-hour period
• Competition: T-Mobile HotSpot
Article on same here:
>> AT&T Wireless Brings Wi-Fi To Runway
Brad Smith
Wireless Week
October 18, 2002
wirelessweek.com
AT&T Wireless has thrown its considerable weight behind public access to the Internet using Wi-Fi wireless local area network technology, conducting a soft launch at the Denver International Airport and making plans for several other locations.
The carrier's Wi-Fi implementation comes as no surprise because most carriers around the world are believed to be considering the technology as a way of expanding their data portfolios. Several have launched Wi-Fi access in Europe and Asia, as well as T-Mobile in the United States.
Analyst Alan Reiter says AT&T Wireless' interest could help show the future of Wi-Fi hot spots, which are proliferating while the business case continues to be refined.
"If AT&T Wireless puts its toe in the water and then pulls it back, that might be an indication to some people that the water was too dangerous or too hot to handle," Reiter says. "But if they get in, it adds further credibility to the value of Wi-Fi integrated with cellular."
AT&T has made no public announcement of its soft launch of Wi-Fi in Denver, although the carrier did provide some details on its Web site, including the name of the service, "GoPort." According to the site, AT&T Wireless plans to set up additional Wi-Fi hot spots in airports in Dallas; San Jose, Calif.; Austin, Texas; and Seattle/Tacoma.
AT&T Wireless spokesman Ritch Blasi declined to go into further detail about GoPort but did confirm it has been in service in Denver since early September. The carrier has advertised at the airport and word-of-mouth has spread its use, he says.
Blasi says the carrier is refining its strategy, including pricing, additional locations and the possibility of integrating Wi-Fi with its GSM/GPRS network.
AT&T Wireless is using Nokia Wi-Fi equipment in Denver. A spokeswoman says Nokia has Wi-Fi hot spot contracts with 20 operators in 15 countries. Nokia supplies a broad portfolio of products, including access points and a combination 802.11/GSM/GPRS card for laptops. The card is in use in Europe and is expected to start shipping in the United States soon.
GoPort currently is priced at $9.99 per 24-hour period, with billing handled by QPass. Reiter says that sounds affordable, but that few business users will use Wi-Fi at an airport for more than an hour or so while they wait for a plane. He says carriers would encourage use by offering a lower rate covering a shorter period of time.
Denver's airport already had Wi-Fi service through T-Mobile HotSpot at the American Airlines Admirals Club. AT&T Wireless' service, with 54 access points, is spread throughout the terminal and three concourses, setting up the possibility of competition. T-Mobile's pricing includes a $2.99 option for 15 minutes of use.
In a separate announcement, AT&T Wireless and Microsoft launched AT&T Wireless WorkWare, a new service enabling seamless mobile access to enterprise e-mail, contacts and documents. HP Services is the preferred systems integrator for the new product.
AT&T Wireless also announced the availability of the Siemens SX56, a Windows Powered Pocket PC Phone Edition device priced at $549.99. The new WorkWare service uses the phone, as well as other GSM/GPRS devices, including PC cards for laptops.
The AT&T Wireless/Microsoft deal is an outgrowth of a relationship they announced last summer to jointly develop software and services for corporate users. Microsoft product manager Ed Suwanjidar says WorkWare fits under the broad Microsoft umbrella called Mobile Workplace.
The future will bring additional applications for mobile workers for customer relationship management and other business-specification tools, Suwanjidar says.
Assuming AT&T Wireless goes ahead with integrating its new GSM/GPRS network with Wi-Fi, subscribers could use Microsoft's platform to set up a data call using whichever network is available.
That could make hot spots even hotter. <<
Alan A. Reiter comments:
>> AT&T WiFi Marketing at Denver Airport: Good, But Not Good Enough
Alan A. Reiter
Reiter's Wireless Data Web Log
October 14, 2002
reiter.weblogger.com
I am in Las Vegas to conduct my Wireless Data University seminar tomorrow (Wednesday) and to attend the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Associations's Wireless I.T. & Internet 2002 conference and exhibition.
On the way from Washington, D.C. to Vegas, I connected in Denver's airport. I especially wanted to see what sort of job AT&T Wireless has been doing marketing its new WiFi service, which I recently discussed.
AT&T has signs all over the place! There are large backlit signs at eye level as well as cloth banners overhead that advertise the company's new WiFi service. If you're in Denver airport -- at least in the United Airlines area -- you can't miss the AT&T signs.
Good News/Bad News
That's good news. All-too-often WiFi network operators install the hotspots and then neglect to provide any indication that WiFi exists!
But there's bad news. The signs' advertising copy doesn't go far enough, I believe. Here's what the text says (and I hope I got this correct; I was running for a plane and am trying to read my handwriting!): "AT&T Wireless Wi-Fi Access Here. Launch your browser to connect now." There's also a phone number and a URL. The graphic on the large electric signs show a person sitting in a chair with a computer and some semi-circles that indicate wireless.
This is fine as far as it goes. But my question is: What if you never heard of WiFi? Would the signs convince you to open your laptop and see what it's all about? My view is it wouldn't. I think AT&T needs to add just a bit more text. For example: "AT&T Wireless Wi-Fi Access Here. High-Speed Wireless Internet. Fast, easy, affordable."
Better Education
WiFi is still esoteric. Many people don't know what it is. Perhaps AT&T thinks that if you don't know what it is, you're not a customer. Wrong! Perhaps you have heard about 802.11 or "wireless LANs." Perhaps you know about the often-laughable cellular "wireless Internet" services and pricing, and are looking for something better. Perhaps you might be convinced to get a WiFi card, especially if you travel via Denver.
In any case, AT&T -- and other WiFi operators -- need to do a better job of educating the public.
Coverage
I can't vouch for WiFi coverage all over the airport, but I know that my connecting flight's gate was at the end of one of the terminals. I had time to fire up my laptop and see that Windows XP said the signal quality of "excellent." I launched my browser and up came the AT&T Wireless splash page for WiFi. I didn't have time to try it out. <<
Best,
- Eric - |
