infoSync World : Europe grows WiFi faster than North America: "Europe grows WiFi faster than North America
By: Anthony Newman, Friday 24th October 2003, 08:29 GMT

New report promises explosion of wireless - on both sides of the pond.


Established wireline and wireless network providers will be among the big beneficiaries of the $163 billion USD to be spent worldwide over the next five years on WiFi services and equipment, according to a new market research study from Insight Research Corporation. WiFi is a technology that combines Ethernet and wireless communications, making it possible for computers and other electronic gear to send and receive high-speed data in a local area network without a wired connection.

Insight Research's analysis of the WiFi industry, WiFi in North America and Europe: Telecommunications' Future 2003-2008, suggests that wireless LAN technology - increasingly popping up in public spaces such as airports and cafes, in private residences, and in businesses - will grow faster in Europe than North America. Worldwide WiFi revenues are expected to grow from $7 billion USD in 2003 to over $44 billion USD by 2008, at a compounded annual rate of 44 percent. "

Pulse~LINK Unveils First UWB Wireless LAN Prototype :: The T Sector :: Everything Tech San Diego - Magazine, Web, Events: "Pulse~LINK Unveils First UWB Wireless LAN Prototype
Friday, October 24, 2003 - 01:11 AM PST
Demonstration of Longer-Range Wireless LAN Communications Proves Significant Advancements in UWB Industry

Pulse~LINK Inc., conducted a public demonstration of an Ultra Wideband (UWB) wireless transceiver prototype yesterday, showing an unprecedented 125 Megabit data rate transmission at 20 meters compliant with FCC power and spectrum regulations. Several major US and Japanese corporations were witness to an advance look at the first UWB Wireless Local Area Networking technology (WLAN) that is compliant with the FCC spectrum mask for wireless UWB emissions. Real time, two-way, full motion video, sound and Internet browsing over a transmission range exceeding 50 meters was also demonstrated."

ElectricNews.net:News:US parents sue school over wi-fi: "US parents sue school over wi-fi
Friday, October 10 2003
by Ciaran Buckleyin

Parents concerned about the effects of radiation have sued a Chicago school district that has installed wireless LANs throughout its primary schools. "

...

"We've been discussing this for over two years, in meetings between the school board and the community," said Steve Chowanski, director of technology with Oak Park School District, speaking to ElectricNews.net. "We've continually tried to explain the technology to the parents, but there has been a small core of what I'd call 'true believers' who don't accept that wireless is the way of the future."

Toshiba PDAs Converge Wireless Connectivity with Hands-Free Voice Applications

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 23, 2003--
New Handheld Devices Feature Voice over IP Functionality and Text-to-Speech Applications Creating New Usage Scenarios for Consumers and Business Users


Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD) today announced the availability of the exceptionally thin-and-light value-priced Pocket PC e400/405 and corporate-based Pocket PC e800/805 Series PDAs featuring integrated Wi-Fi(R) (802.11b) connectivity and voice over IP (VoIP) capabilities (e800/805 Series only). Both devices feature the ability for audio playback of text documents and user voice command functionality to access important data, keeping business users and consumers organized.

Toshiba's PDAs build upon the company's core focus on mobility and wireless connectivity providing users increased flexibility and convenience to help manage their busy lives. With the built-in Toshiba VoIP (1),(2) phone software (e800/805 Series only), users can place phone calls over a high-speed wireless LAN network worldwide, reducing the cost of making long distance and international calls via traditional phone systems. A subscription to an Internet service provider and VoIP broadband telephony service (3) is needed for users to take advantage of the VoIP functionality. The Pocket PC e800/805 Series also features integrated Wi-Fi (802.11b) connectivity (1) for convenient Internet access at a Toshiba SurfHere(TM) public wireless hotspot or any other public hotspot, or to a user's corporate wireless network.

New Voice Command and Text-to-Speech Applications

The Pocket PC e400/405 and e800/805 Series include software designed to quickly and efficiently access a user's appointments, contact information or time and date with the sound of the user's voice. Voice commands such as "Contacts" and "Calendar" instantly open the applications without having to use the stylus. Customers can also take advantage of the text-to-speech application, which delivers audio feedback of e-mail messages, schedule and other text documents, personalizing the PDA experience. For the ultimate road warrior, a built-in world clock is included for easy access to local time zones.

"Toshiba understands that customers desire a personal lightweight data access device that not only keeps them connected to the corporate network, but also delivers on new technology that increases productivity and ease of use away from the office," said Carl Pinto, director of product marketing, Toshiba DPD. "The Pocket PC e400/405 and e800/805 represent the true definition of a handheld data device -- convenience, interaction and portability."

Brighter Displays and Added Functionality

The Pocket PC e400/405 and e800/805 Series feature enhanced screen brightness to easily read data content such as presentations and spreadsheets as well as view a user's favorite photos. The Pocket PC e800/805 Series features a 4.0-inch diagonal transreflective display for greater viewing area and includes VGA support (4) making the device a sound investment for future VGA-enabled applications.

Creating a lightweight mobile presentation device, the Pocket PC e800/805 Series features the optional Toshiba Presentation Pack that allows users to conduct a presentation directly from the PDA. Priced at $99 (5), the Picture View Presentation Pack includes an RGB port to connect to a monitor or projector and a USB port for devices such as a full-size keyboard or numeric keypad.

Pricing and Availability

The Pocket PC e405 and e805 are available through Toshiba's retail distribution channels including computer superstores and consumer electronic stores. The Pocket PC e405 has an estimated single user price (ESUP)(5) of $299 and the Pocket PC e805 ESUP is $599.

The Pocket PC e400 and e800 are available direct via www.shoptoshiba.com and through Toshiba's traditional distribution channels including mail order and VARs. The Pocket PC e400 has an ESUP of $299 and the Pocket PC e800 ESUP is $599.

Note to Editors: Intel is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. All other trademarks belong to their respective companies. Central Processing Unit (CPU) performance may vary depending on conditions; see specifications for details. Information in press releases including without limitation product prices, specifications, content of services, and contact information, is current on the date of the press announcement, but is subject to change without notice.

(1) Pocket PC e800/805 Series only. Subscription of an Internet service provider is necessary for Internet connection.

(2) Pocket PC e800/805 Series includes VoIP software from VLI(R) Inc. Toshiba does not guarantee the interoperability with other Gphone vendors or any other VoIP software.

(3) A subscription to VLI Inc. VoIP phone service is needed to conduct VoIP calls to a phone system.

(4) Pocket PC e800/805 Series only. Only the ClearVue application supports this mode.

(5) Reseller prices vary. ESUP means "Estimated Single Unit Price"

Contacts


Benjamin / A Weber Shandwick Company for Toshiba
Kelly Poffenberger or Sharon Katouli, 949-260-1300
kelly_poffenberger@benjamingroup.com or
sharon_katouli@benjamingroup.com

allAfrica.com: South Africa: Wireless LAN Security Falls Short of Expectations, Says META Group: "Wireless LAN Security Falls Short of Expectations, Says META Group

ITWeb (Johannesburg)
July 31, 2003
Posted to the web October 21, 2003
Johannesburg
Security is still the number one inhibitor to enterprise adoption of wireless LAN technologies.
Wireless LAN vendors have failed to deliver interoperable, highly secure wireless LANs, according to META Group. Three years after initial concerns about wireless LAN security, achieving a highly secure enterprise wireless LAN remains a challenge. Vendors have succeeded only in confusing the "

35,000 European Wi-Fi Hotspots In Place By 2006

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 21, 2003--The European WLAN public access hotspots market is starting to look like a hype bubble. Despite widespread failure to address the technical and business challenges that need to be overcome before the market can truly flourish, many players are viewing WLAN hotspots as an exciting business opportunity, with wide-ranging business models being debated.
At present, the market is highly fragmented with many different players each staking their claim to be a major force in the market. It is clear that not all of these market participants can survive in the long run, but many players feel that even a short-term gain renders market entry attractive. Frost & Sullivan believes that the consolidation has already begun and that the number of service providers in this market will decline as they are absorbed by larger organisations with more resources.

It is clear that a limited investment can yield significant revenue generation opportunities in the European WLAN hotspots market. However, this can only be achieved by selecting the most appropriate business models. The limited success of commercial services in North America has already demonstrated that the right mix of customer segmentation, location, pricing and service offering needs to be found.

The enterprise market, with its high penetration of notebook PCs and growing demand for flexible access to network services, is of pivotal importance to the WLAN industry. However, WLAN is also growing in popularity in vertical markets such as transportation, distribution, medical, public access networks and home environments.

Frost & Sullivan expects total subscription revenues in the European WLAN hotspots market to rise from around EUR 18 million in 2002 to in excess of EUR 1 billion by the end of 2006.

The rollout will be largely driven by the weight of force placed behind the market by the incumbent fixed and wireless operators, as it is these players who have the resources to drive large-scale implementations.

Independent service providers are investing great efforts into driving the early market and forcing larger players to make their moves, but few of them have the resources or skills base to create large scale networks or initiate the inter-network roaming initiatives that will be crucial to the key business clients.

The adoption of Wireless LAN services in Europe is being led by the Scandinavia region, first and foremost spearheaded by SoneraTelia's Telia HomeRun and Sonera wGate services. Other pioneering companies in this marketplace include BT Openzone, T-Mobile (Deutsche Telekom), and Swisscom.

Maximising footprint by signing up as many locations as possible, as well as selecting the most appropriate locations for hotspots (most importantly locations frequented by business travellers, the market's most lucrative target audience), is highlighted by Frost & Sullivan's study as a critical success factor for operators looking to develop commercial services.

On the subject of GSM roaming on all enabled hotspots worldwide, Frost & Sullivan notes that it is of important for service providers to be able to provide seamless coverage. The relative power and positioning of the different operators will determine the nature of the roaming agreements and the revenue sharing agreements that they have in place.

One of the biggest issues for hotspot operators is maintaining a decent level of service. Where hotspot services are complementary or free of charge, the user cannot expect particularly high levels of reliability. However, if an end-user is paying for a service they will expect to be able to use the service for the duration they are being charged for. This is a major challenge for the service provider, given that there are still doubts surrounding the reliability of most WLAN equipment.

Frost & Sullivan, an international growth consultancy, has been supporting clients' expansion for more than four decades. Our market expertise covers a broad spectrum of industries, while our portfolio of advisory competencies include custom strategic consulting, market intelligence and management training. Our mission is to forge partnerships with our clients' management teams to deliver market insights and to create value and drive growth through innovative approaches. Frost & Sullivan's network of consultants, industry experts, corporate trainers and support staff, spans the globe with offices in every major country.

BelAir Networks Introduces First Cellular LAN Architecture; Solution Delivers 10 Times More Capacity and 5 Times More Coverage, Cuts CapEx by 70 Percent and OpEx by 90 Percent

CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment 2003

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 21, 2003--Deploying profitable public and cost-effective private wireless LANs for medium and large venues is now possible with the introduction today of the first, complete cellular LAN solution by BelAir Networks.
The BelAir Networks cellular LAN solution combines the best of WLAN and cellular technologies. It is built on a patented, multiple point-to-point wireless mesh that, for the first time, integrates wireless access and backhaul. This integration eliminates crippling T1 and DSL backhaul costs, which have so far stifled the deployment of economical medium and large-scale wireless LANs.

"Our solution delivers five to 10 times more backhaul capacity and five times more backhaul coverage for high capacity data, video and voice services than current wireless networking options," said Bernard Herscovich, President and CEO, BelAir Networks. "In addition, compared to current options, the BelAir Networks solution drastically reduces associated WLAN capital expenditures by up to 70 percent and operating expenditures by up to 90 percent."

Current wireless networking options are complicated and costly. Multiple access points, endless feet of cable to and from switches and routers, security issues and maintenance requirements create costly deployments. The BelAir Networks cellular LAN architecture reduces costs and simplifies wireless LAN deployments.

Like a cellular network, the BelAir Networks mesh is designed for outdoor deployment. It provides wide area coverage and long reach, and enables the creation of cell-based networking solutions. And like a WLAN it incorporates an open IP architecture and standards-based Wi-Fi technology. By combining the best of cellular and WLAN networking, the BelAir Networks cellular LAN offers the lowest-cost wireless network deployment on the market.

"The BelAir Networks solution gives service providers a cost-effective way to deploy and operate medium and large networks, which make Wi-Fi services available to a larger market. It allows service providers to reduce capital and operating costs and strengthen the business case for Wi-Fi access technology," said Murray McCaig, co-CEO, Spotnik Mobile Inc., the leading provider of public wireless service in Canada. Spotnik and Canadian wireless carrier TELUS Mobility are building a national network of hot spots in premium locations such as transportation facilities, hotels, conference centers, commercial properties and cafes. McCaig referred to the BelAir Networks solution at the Wireless Industry Congress 2003 in September.

The products that comprise a complete BelAir Networks mesh include outdoor platforms, indoor nodes that provide interconnection to the wired network and network management software. As part of the launch, BelAir Networks unveiled the BelAir200, its first outdoor product.

The BelAir200 is designed to beam signals into buildings from the outside. It is built around a high-performance network processing core, multiple Wi-Fi access and backhaul modules and an open, embedded software environment.

"In today's environment, enterprises considering WLAN technologies are looking for solutions that are cost effective from both a capital and operational standpoint," said Aaron Vance, Industry Analyst with Synergy Research Group. "BelAir's unique wireless solution eliminates cabling and backhaul costs, obviates the need for additional hardware, both wired and wireless, while increasing wireless network coverage and capacity."

The complete BelAir Networks solution delivers unmatched coverage and capacity and enables the economical deployment of medium and large wireless networks for hot zones, such as business districts office parks, airports, hotels, conference centers, recreation areas and shopping malls. The BelAir Networks solution is also ideal for corporate and educational campuses, manufacturing centers, hospitals, research parks, municipal centers and apartment buildings.

BelAir Networks will showcase its cellular LAN solution in Booth 1109 of the CTIA Wireless IT and Entertainment Expo in Las Vegas, from October 21-23.

About BelAir Networks

BelAir Networks is a wireless infrastructure supplier that provides advanced, multi-service, mobile networking solutions optimized for medium and large public and private cellular LAN networks.

Combining the best of WLAN and cellular technologies, BelAir Networks solutions go beyond basic Wi-Fi to overcome the limitations associated with traditional WLANs. They are built on a patented multiple point-to-point mesh enabled by outdoor platforms, indoor nodes, and network management software. Together, the mesh and the products that enable it are designed to simplify wireless infrastructures, reduce capital and operating expenditures, and deliver ubiquitous high capacity data, video and voice services where and when needed.

Contacts


BelAir Networks
Joe Aragona, 613-254-7070 ext. 134
jaragona@belairnetworks.com
or
Calysto Communications
Justin Siefert, 404-266-2060 ext 20
jsiefert@calysto.com