Fon.com’s WiFi routers are apparently in violation of the conditions of seven of U.K.’s top 10 Internet service providers. The company’s routers enable sharing of broadband connections with third parties, which is allowed by Blueyonder from Telewest and Orange Broadband. But others like BT, NTL and Tiscali prohibit connection sharing while AOL would only permit… Continue Reading
Intel’s Next-gen Notebooks To Feature Nokia Chip
Intel looks to introduce Nokia’s 3G chip and improved graphics support for Microsoft’s Windows Vista in its next-generation motherboards for notebooks. According to Dadi Perlmutter, who heads Intel’s mobility group, the Santa Rosa package will hit the market in the first half of next year. The company also plans a 2007 release for a new… Continue Reading
Logan’s Wi-Fi Chokehold
Kevin Martin, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, is trying to get the endorsement of most of the five-member body to put an end to the monopoly of the Advanced Wireless Group in providing wireless Internet access at Logan Airport. Last year, Continental Airlines complained with the commission over the action of Massachusetts Port Authority… Continue Reading
Noise Free Wi-Fi IPTV
Rotani has unveiled VideoPuck, an new program designed to provide noise-free WiFi for the IPTV market. The new software can be integrated in the the firmware of standard access points and set top boxes and promises to address WiFi interference problems during IPTV multicasts. Rotani co-founder and executive vice president Nicholas Funke said European IPTV… Continue Reading
Qualcomm CEO: Wireless Broadband Faces Threats
Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs believes offshoring of manufacturing capabilities and eroding intellectual property rights pose as threats to the wireless broadband network development. Jacobs made the statement at the fall meeting of the National Association of Manufacturers, the biggest industrial trade organization in the US. He noted the continuing degeneration of young engineering talent in… Continue Reading
Intel Superfast Wi-Fi Faces Microsoft Vista Overload
Intel plans to incorporate 802.11n into the new version of its Wi-Fi/WiMax chipset. Kedron is expected to be five times better, with data throughputs that are 30 times higher than the 2003 version. The company is now conducting a cooperative testing with major LAN networking suppliers, namely Netgear, D-Link, Linksys and Buffalo, to ensure interoperability… Continue Reading
ZigBee Alliance Updates Standard
The ZigBee Alliance is updating its standard, which promises more choice and control. The update is designed to stop a single point-of-failure on the network and enables OEMs to generate groups of devices while letting individual devices to belong to multiple groups. The enhanced Zigbee, which the company plans to release to the public in… Continue Reading
Wireless Emerges As Crucial Growth Area For Small Firms
A new survey by the Institute of Directors (IoD) suggests an increasing popularity of wireless technology among small and medium-sized firms. It shows a 20 percent rise in the use of wireless equipment — from 57 percent in 2004 to the current 77 percent — by firms. Wireless access to email, WiFi hotspot use and… Continue Reading
Wireless USB Ready For Testing
The USB Implementers Forum has launched the Certified Wireless USB Compliance and Certification Program, which will allow vendors to have their UWB-based Wireless USB products certified for product interoperability. Although vendors can perform self-tests, they must submit their products for testing to a Certified Wireless USB test lab before they get certification. Intel’s Wireless USB… Continue Reading
Boffins Working On Super Wi-Fi Chip
Researchers at Lucent’s Bell Laboratories are developing software that can alter a WiFi chip so that it can work on all types of radio appliances. They believe that most of these appliances contain outdated chips, which are wired to a sole frequency. The goal is to make a chip that can move across all frequencies… Continue Reading
T-Mobile Bets On Wi-Fi, Drops Zeta-Jones
T-Mobile plans to sell new handsets that can make calls though WiFi hotspots. According to sources, the company is testing the service using a Samsung SGH-T709 along with a D-Link TM-G5240 router in the Oregon/Washington area. The carrier also hopes to introduce another product called “My Favs”, which will allow subscribers to choose five numbers… Continue Reading
WiMax Spectrum Owners Launch WiSOA
WiMax spectrum owners have created their own organization. The WiMax Spectrum Owners Alliance currently comprises Unwired Australia, Network Plus Mauritius, UK Broadband, Irish Broadband, Austar Australia/Liberty Group, Telecom New Zealand, WiMAX Telecom Group, Enertel and Woosh Telecom. WISOA secretary general Patrick Cruise O’Brien said the group differs from the WiMax Forum in the sense that… Continue Reading
Intel Goes To The Max On WiMax
At the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, Intel CEO Paul Otellini announced that the company will integrate WiMax into its 5th generation Centrino chips by 2008 as part of its goal to make the technology as ‘ubiquitous’ as WiFi. In view of plans by Sprint and Clearwire, Otellini believes WiMax will virtually extend over… Continue Reading
Virgin Trains To Launch WiFi Service In 2007
Nomad Digital has won the contract to provide wireless Internet access on Virgin Trains. The company will launch the new service, which will be based on WiMax technology, on its West Coast Main Line route next year. Aside from allowing passensers to surf the Internet and download digital data, the new network is also expected… Continue Reading
My Life B.W., Before Wi-Fi
Information technology has come a long way from what it was 10 years ago. In 1995, people were just getting acquainted with the Internet and Netscape Navigator 1.0. Going to countries like Indonesia and Thailand would mean that a traveller must bring along a medley of devices to ensure his or her laptop would function… Continue Reading