Ending the headaches of Wi-Fi

[Brink]

New standards will soon make getting from a carrier's 3G or 4G network onto a Wi-Fi network a seamless and easy process. But carriers large and small still have to get comfortable with that.

Soon wireless subscribers won't even have to think about signing on to a Wi-Fi hot spot. New standards that will be included in the latest generation of products will take the headache out of Wi-Fi.

Millions of wireless customers access public Wi-Fi hot spots every day. Some people get free access to Wi-Fi through their mobile operator and use the networks to avoid going over their data caps. Others subscribe to Wi-Fi services to get access to higher-speed data wherever it's available. Whether you use free Wi-Fi or you subscribe to a service, getting on to whatever Wi-Fi network you are using is not always a simple and easy process. Often you have to search for a hot spot. Then you have to sign in with a username and password. And if it's a paid hot spot, you have to enter payment credentials.

Now thanks to new technical and roaming standards that have been developed by the wireless industry, wireless users will soon be able to avoid these nuisances. From here on, accessing a Wi-Fi network will be an easy and seamless experience for consumers.

"Seamless connectivity to Wi-Fi is almost here," said Derek Peterson, senior vice president of engineering for Boingo Wireless, a company that provides a subscription-based service accessing Wi-Fi networks around the world. "What we have right now is not a good experience. And the new standards move us beyond that. And it makes for a great user experience."

Read more at source: Ending the headaches of Wi-Fi | Mobile - CNET News

 

[HerrKaLeun]

This only works if all hot-spot owners agree to participate. And since they don't get any money, why would they? If my favorite restaurant or hotel want to provide a free wifi access, they could do so without the cell networks. If the hotel you are statying in wants to charge for Wifi, why would they then allow you to use free Wifi via your provider unless they get a cut?

I'm not sure what the problem actually is. Right now I use ATT and at home, work (or anywhere lese I got the access to, like at friends/family houses)or near an ATT Wi-Fi spot it automatically goes to Wi-Fi. Just in between I use 4G (if I enable it at all).

the technology isn't the problem, it is the financial model that is missing

 

[Wenda]

I have full wireless internet (3G/4G) at home, but my router/modem, which is around
the size of a small smart-phone, has a battery as well as mains-power. So when I am
travelling, I just toss it into the bag, and never have to worry about the availability,
speed or cost of hot-spots. If reasonably fast free wi-fi is available, I use it, but if
not, I'm never stuck without a connection. And it will work on all my devices, the lap-
top, the smart-phone, and the tablet.

But yes, anything that makes doing so easier or less hassle has got to be good. Thanks
for posting, Brink.


Wenda.


EDIT: - I also have a USB wireless dongle that came bundled with my tablet. Not using
it at present as I don't need it and it's with a different ISP. But it can be set up to be
either post-paid or pre-paid, so I'm hanging on to it as a spare.

 

[pippin]

I have to agree with HerrKaLeun - especially after reading the entire article. I don't know much about WiFi roaming and such but I understand what the article is saying and it looks to me like this is going to be costly (as it is now) to the consumer.