[MLB-WIRELESS] Fw: ISPs Lukewarm On Wireless

[Barry Park]

-----Original Message-----
From: New Telecoms-AU <listsupport at internet.com>
To: bpark at theage.fairfax.com.au <bpark at theage.fairfax.com.au>
Date: Thursday, May 02, 2002 12:23 AM
Subject: ISPs Lukewarm On Wireless


>  New Telecoms  May 01, 2002
>
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>            ISPs Lukewarm On Wireless
>            Craig Liddell - australia.internet.com
>
>
>            Wireless networking is on the rise amongst grass-roots
communities but ISPs remain lukewarm about the commercial prospects of
802.11.
>
>            A quick straw poll of several Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
reveals a general lack of interest in wireless networking as a commercial
product while some remain coy about their plans.
>
>            AAPT subsidiary Connect isn't "playing in the wireless
networking space currently, nor does it have an immediate plans to do so.
The reason for this is that wireless networking invariably requires desktop
access. Connect's access to the customer is confined to the outer."
>
>            AOL in Australia "has no current plans to introduce wireless
networking. AOL's priority is meeting the needs of Australian consumers and
we will develop new products and services according to consumer demand."
>
>            Australia's second largest ISP, OzEmail, has no definite plans
but is "examining our options for other access methods, such as wireless."
>
>            The ISP most likely to introduce commercial wireless products
is Pacific Internet, albeit in a very limited manner.
>
>            Iain McKimm, director of technology and strategy, says Pacific
will probably introduce a home wireless service. With AC Nielsen research
revealing, "30% of homes have two PCs," McKimm sees an opportunity for users
to split home DSL and connect to a notebook or another PC.
>
>            He notes that most laptops come standard with wireless cards.
Pacific is currently talking to vendors to "examine the best solution which
is cost-effective and easy to set-up."
>
>            The ISP is the first to introduce a range of wireless products
into the Singaporean retail market.
>
>            Wireless at Home is offered at $S85.90 (approx. $AU$88) a month
for the first two users and can take up to a maximum of five users. The
service includes two unlimited broadband accounts, email and a wireless
start-up kit, which includes an ASDL broadband modem, wireless base station
and WiFi wireless network cards. Additional accounts are $S39.90 (approx $AU
40) per month per user.
>
>            Wireless at Hotspots is available via several wireless local-area
networks (WLAN) located in popular cafes and food courts.
>
>            A business service, Wireless at Work, is targeted at SOHOs, SMEs
and companies wanting to have a wireless setup in the office.
>
>            However, McKimm notes a key difference between Australia and
Singapore, "where you have a tight density of people and can get coverage
without many points. By contrast, Australia is more diverse and you wouldn't
have the same impact."
>
>            In addition to wireless at home, he sees two potential growth
areas for wireless in Australia.
>
>            "Monash University tendered for applications," he explains, "to
provide a WLAN for students and are currently undertaking a trial with Avaya
on the Clayton campus."
>
>            Monash plan to rollout the service to all campuses this year,
allowing access to the LAN and the Internet. "In the near future, the
wireless network will be expanded to cover most of the common areas around
campus and the libraries." The university's IT Services division stocks both
Cisco and Avaya PCMCIA cards at $205 and the USB client will cost about
$300.
>
>            The trick, says McKimm, is "selecting the right partner." A
pure wireless ISP model such as SkyNetGlobal is "very hard," and it's more
efficient to have an established customer base as an ISP then go into
wireless.
>
>            Pacific plan to partner with companies rolling out wireless
networks, such as Azure. Wireless companies finding ISPs to use the network,
is "the right model," he believes.
>
>            McKimm is optimistic about the potential of PDAs and 3G in
boosting the fortunes of wireless. "Rather than ringing up a personal
assistant to change a meeting, the details can be sent to a PDA and
retrieved by moving into a hot spot."
>
>            Recently, he says, there was talk of twenty hot spots being
developed around Melbourne, in areas as tight as an intersection. So, McKimm
quips, "you can be in a traffic jam and check your email." Another option
being explored is hot spots at train stations. VicRail, the state rail
authority, could promote "hot trains," and also assist in getting more
people on public transport, he concludes.
>
>            Daniel Growden, manager of regional ISP, TimeGate Systems, is
also a keen advocate of wireless networking. "For two years we have explored
the option of supplying wireless Internet to our surrounding area." Such a
service, he says, "would allow us to provide broadband Internet to the
regional area, however due to too many hurdles it is still yet to become
viable." Those hurdles include legal and licensing issues and the costs of
getting the bandwidth to area.
>
>            RELATED READING:
>
>            Are Renegade Wireless LANs Commercially Destructive?
>
>            Public Wireless Networks Fight Back
>
>            802.11 Wireless Networking Bears Fruit For NZ Growers
>
>
>            » View this online with the community's commentary or add your
comment.




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