Tag: wifi

Do you wifi?

It’s time to fight fire with fire. Ask conference management for details on what resources are available for WiFi, power access, and cell service. Is the Net service separate from room access? Does the connection pass IM and peer-to-peer traffic? Do VPNs work? And if you don’t get a good answer, let the Blogosphere know. That is, if you can get connected.

as we start the planning process for another oscom, i’ll keep this in mind.

No more scarcity

Personal communications services have sparked a sea change in data services delivered to phones, using 90 MHz. The Wifi revolution in wireless local-area networking was started with only 84 MHz. Now imagine more new spectrum made available simultaneously in the next few years than is now used by the satellite TV, PCS, and Wifi industries combined

and

A newly permitted method of using spectrum, ultra wide band, takes spread spectrum to its logical conclusion, operating at such low power that, subject to appropriate safeguards, it can underlie existing licensed services. That is, preexisting users of the same spectrum bands won’t even know the ultra wide band transmissions are there. It will be as if we figured out a way for freight trains to travel on highways, with cars being none the wiser. Standards work is already under way to make ultra wide band the core technology for home entertainment networks, transferring video, audio, and photos among home PCs, stereos, high-definition televisions, and DVD players.

conclusion:

Incumbent mobile operators and broadcasters will almost certainly face greater competitive pressures from both licensed and unlicensed alternatives. The spectrum portfolios of incumbent operators, especially the large cellular phone companies, may be the first to be devalued.

war walking

amtrak has a clue, offering power plugs on every seat. this made the trip from NYC to boston a bit more productive, although i mostly slept through it to compensate for the redeye. i had less luck in boston. the wifi coverage is really not all that great, and it turns out, hotels are $150 up. asking about internet access, they offered me a dialup. WTF? in the end i found a good park bench with wifi though. tomorrow i’m gonna look out for an apartment. i need one of these.