Skype made a bold move in February and filed a petition with the FCC requesting they apply their consumer broadband principals to the wireless industry. The response? Verizon Wireless, AT&T and CTIA are fighting back. These carriers claim spectrum limitations and unique network management issues. Also, because VoIP is not optimized for wireless it consumes… Continue Reading
Author Archives: Kristin Abraham
The Other Public-Access Wi-Fi
Public Access WiFi appears to be undergoing an evolution of sorts. The current standard deployment method consists of mesh technology and many people supply this equipment. The key question is who should own this infrastructure and what fees should apply. Some experts are in favor of a tiered approach with the lowest level of service… Continue Reading
Fon’s New Friend – Time Warner Cable
Is a Fon subscription right for you? Fon is a start-up wireless broadband network that uses other people’s bandwidth to get its clients online. Currently many people use someone else’s open WiFi network to get online, a practice that is generally a violation of the subscriber’s service contract. But that may soon change. Time Warner… Continue Reading
Child Porn Case Shows That An Open WiFi Network Is No Defense
Leaving a wireless access point (WAP) open is generally considered a bad idea. Experts suggest you could be opening yourself to criminals by not password protecting your WiFi Network. But if you are a criminal then keeping and open WAP may become your defense. A growing number of file sharers believe they can throw reasonable… Continue Reading
Southwest Reaching For Wi-Fi In Sky
Southwest Airlines is looking to add WiFi services to its flights. They’re hoping to begin rolling out a prototype within the next nine months. Eventually, the plan is that travelers will not only be able to access their email but also have more entertainment options during their flights. The appeal of WiFi during long flights… Continue Reading
WiFi Thieves Busted In The UK
The city of Redditch in the UK has two unlikely criminals. The pair were recently arrested for using other people’s WiFi broadband internet connections without permission. Neighbors had become frustrated at the man parked in front of their home on his laptop and called the police. The police arrested the man and cautioned him for… Continue Reading
Making Metro-scale Wi-Fi Meshes Fly
A metro-scale WiFi is the talk of the town and the dream of the future. Currently meshes are the answer to large scale WiFi networks but meshes may not be able to provide enough capacity for multiple classes of users and multiple applications on the same infrastructure. To combat this problem the mesh vendors are… Continue Reading
Vonage Shares Plunge On Bankruptcy Fears
Vonage has publicly admitted that it may be on the brink of bankruptcy. They blame the cost of fighting several patent lawsuits for their financial troubles as they report their shares have dropped another 6 percent. Since Vonage went public last May at $17 per share they have lost over 80 percent of their value… Continue Reading
Which Verizon Patents Did Vonage Violate?
Vonage was found guilty of violating three of Verizon’s business method patents. Two of the patents define VoIP traffic and how it’s handled on traditional Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN). The third patent covers the spectrum from wireline to Wi-Fi VoIP support. Via [networkworld.com]… Continue Reading
Taking Wireless To The WiMax
Chicago is about to become one of the first cities where people can stay connected wherever they go. This next generation of computer communications allows users to stay connected wirelessly to the Internet as they travel through the city. Motorola Inc. has constructed this technology and handed the reigns over to Sprint Nextel Corp. who… Continue Reading
Don’t Use WEP For Wi-Fi Security, Researchers Say
If you’re relying on Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) protocol for Wi-Fi security you may be at risk. Three German security researchers have found a way to tap into WEP protected data within a minute. Previosly, WEP had been criticized for flaws in the basic algorithm structure but cracking into the system took several minutes. Now,… Continue Reading
Verizon Wireless Crawls To 4G
Verizon is planning to head down the 4G road but which path they’ll take is still uncertain. Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) is the logical path but not the only option. In fact, at the CTIA Wireless 2007 Conference, Kyle Malady, Vice President of Network Technology Development at Verizon Wireless, stressed that the company feels they… Continue Reading
The Ins And Outs Of Using A Wi-Fi Smart Phone
Technology has now made gaps in cell phone coverage a thing of the past, that is if there is a Wi-Fi Hotspot nearby. Smart phones, complete with Wi-Fi capabilities are hitting the market, albeit slowly, and allow you to make VoIP phone calls, check email, read the latest news and other activities via the internet.… Continue Reading
Thank You Superhacker, You Saved My Computer
You can actually be setting yourself up for identity theft. A recent report entitled Internet Safety: The State of the Nation found that one in five, or 21%, of British households that use wireless broadband connections do not have password protection. These open portals leave users open to fraud, identity theft or worse. To combat… Continue Reading
Going To Town With WiFi
A new WiFi alternative may be on the horizon. Local governments are looking at companies that can provide wireless throughout their entire city or county with the use of wireless transmitters in the public right away. Some customers will be able to use their existing wireless receivers but people who are more than 100 feet… Continue Reading