A second round of private venture funding yielded $14 million for Amimon Inc., thus bringing the total investment to $21 million to include the sum raised in a previous round that took place in January 2005. Amimon plans to come out with a wireless video modem chipset for high-definition video streaming, which it expects to… Continue Reading
Sprint Chooses WiMax For High-speed Wireless
After evaluating other technologies, Sprint Nextel has chosen WiMax as its vehicle technology for the new high-speed wireless network that it plans to roll out in late 2007. According to Sprint chief executive Gary Forsee, Intel will provide the equipment for the network while Samsung and Motorola will develop phones and mobile devices that will… Continue Reading
Ofcom Loses The 4G Signal
Ofcom is exploring the possibility of auctioning off radio spectrum that could be utilized for 4G mobile services. At the moment, no one can define 4G and the adoption of 3G in the U.K. remains minimal. Since the £22.5 billion auction in 2000, 3G has only attracted 4.5 million users or equivalent to £5,000 per… Continue Reading
Free Wi-Fi – At A Price
Analysts expect a dip in sales and consolidation of small wireless providers with the proliferation of municipal and citywide Wi-Fi networks, which offer low-cost and even free Internet service. Dan Lowden, vice-president of marketing and business development at Wi-Fi access operator Wayport, dismissed the opinion, saying he does not see “any type of impact from… Continue Reading
I Spy With Muni Wi-Fi
Security experts are raising concerns over connectivity to municipal and free public Wi-Fi networks. Brian Hernacki, an architect at security software developer Symantec’s research labs, believes the lack of security in muni Wi-Fi networks makes them susceptible to attacks. Hackers could tap such infrastructure to gain access to data that companies have used millions of… Continue Reading
Study: More Wireless Protocols To Integrate
A study from WTRS forecasts that manufacturers are going to start integrating several wireless protocols into single chips in the near future. With devices like PDA’s using 3G, WiFi and Bluetooth, this is not a bad idea. They forcast high short term sales, but standbys like RFID will provide longer term profits. Via [eetimes.com]… Continue Reading
Experts Warn Of ‘Bumpy’ Transition To 802.11n
In-Stat sees a “bumpy” transition from IEEE 802.11b/g Wi-Fi to the next-gen 802.11n standard. The analyst firm believes the move to 802.11n will be more difficult than that to 802.11g from 802.11b. Though formal ratification of the IEEE 802.11n wireless Lan standard may not happen until next year, wireless networking firms have already developed products… Continue Reading
One Lawmaker’s Wi-Fi Push
Sen. Charles Schumer, a Democrat from New York, is hoping to bring WiFi broadband service to smaller cities and rural areas. Schumer’s plan involves extending tax breaks to companies installing wireline broadband equipment. The Broadband Tax Enhancement Act, S1147, has already been approved by the Senate Finance Committee in early July and is awaiting further… Continue Reading
IEEE Struggles With Video Wi-Fi Standard
The second draft of the proposed IEEE standard for 100+Mbps wireless LANs will have to wait until January 2007, months later than many had hoped. The task group responsible for the development of the 802.11n standard is sifting through 12,000 comments to draft 1.0, half of which have already been addressed. Bill McFarland, CTO for… Continue Reading
Google Says It Doesn’t Plan Nationwide Wi-Fi Service
Google is not planning to provide US-wide WiFi service. It said around 300 contracts are open for competition but Google has not expressed its interest in any of them. It has put up $1 million to build a citywide network in Mountain View, the place Google calls home. As per its agreement with the city,… Continue Reading
Tibetans To Teach Wi-Fi Know-How
The Tibetan Technology Center is set to host the Air Jaldi Summit for wireless community developers from around the globe. Free Software Foundation founder Richard Stallman, Wi-Fi pioneer Vic Hayes as well as representatives from Intel, Cisco and European wireless activists are expected to participate in the event, which will held in October. University of… Continue Reading
Safe Wi-Fi Could Be On Your Doorstep Soon
The Wi-Fi Alliance has unveiled Wi-Fi Protected Setup to allow for easier installation of safe Wi-Fi. According to the alliance, the program formerly known as “Wi-Fi Simple Config” will be available by the fourth quarter of 2006. WPS, it said, “is planned as an optional certification based on a standardised method for security setup in… Continue Reading
Wi-Fi Seen Limiting Battery Life On MS iPod Rival
The rumored WiFi capabilities of the upcoming Microsoft ‘Zune’ MP3 player may doom the product from the beginning. Battery life may become a huge issue as WiFi is a very large draw on batteries in portable devices. Details are thin at this time, however it seems that unless Microsoft can included extra features and similar… Continue Reading
Muni Wi-Fi Faces Tech Trouble, Analyst Warns
Municipal wireless may deliver too little too late. A leading wireless consultant thinks that a great many municipal wireless projects are doomed to fail because they end up not being free and because they don’t have indoor coverage. He also believes that WiMax will have problems too. He believes that the edge the technology provides… Continue Reading
Intel Hopes To Bring WiMax To Southern Europe
Intel is persuading at least six operators in Southern Europe to deploy WiMax. The company is also talkng with Orascom in the hope of convincing the Middle Eastern mobile phone operator to use the technology. It has recently entered into an agreement with Sprint Nextel, which makes it the supplier of equipment for the new… Continue Reading