'White Space' to Be Opened to Devices Connected to Web
 FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin says "white space devices" can be used safely. (Isaac Brekken - AP)  Enlarge Photo |
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| FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin says "white space devices" can be used safely. (Isaac Brekken - AP) Enlarge Photo |
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More Capacity, Less Interference Key to Superior User Experience and Profitable Wi-Fi Business Model
Las Vegas, March 31, 2008 – NextWave Wireless Inc. (NASDAQ: WAVE), a global provider of mobile multimedia and wireless broadband technologies, today announced that Cheetah Wireless Technologies, Inc., a wireless mesh network solutions provider, has upgraded its Las Vegas broadband Wi-Fi infrastructure with NextWave’s state-of-the art MBW 2000 series micro cell and MBW 1000 series pico cell base stations, offering improved mobile wireless connectivity along the Las Vegas Strip – both inside and outside the world’s largest casinos, hotels and convention centers. Together, NextWave and Cheetah Wireless will offer Las Vegas’ mobile population improved portable indoor/outdoor Wi-Fi accessibility via an innovative, unique brand-supported business model.Chrysler LLC hopes to soon give customers the information superhighway on an actual highway.
The automaker announced Monday at the North American International Auto Show that future products will be equipped with high-speed, mobile Internet access. Such technology would allow users to do home computer activities like downloading songs, accessing map Web sites or checking e-mail all while the vehicle is rolling down the road.
The still-unnamed technology has not been slated for specific models, nor did Chrysler give a time frame for implementation. It follows a trend in consumer electronics where more devices, not just laptops and cell phones, will have easy Internet access.
For example, some electronics makers are developing "Wi-Max" enabled digital cameras that would allow consumers to directly upload pictures to photo sharing Web sites.
Frank Klegon, executive vice president for product development, said that the technology in Chrysler vehicles could be similar to Wi-Fi or Wi-Max. Others with the automaker said other technologies, including satellite, are also being considered.
Wi-Max works in a similar manner to a Wi-Fi connection at a coffee shop, but instead of only working in a limited geographic space, Wi-Max could potentially operate any where you can receive a cell phone signal.
Klegon said such technology will resonate with the connected consumer.
"Anything you do on your home computer, you could do in your car," he said.
Wireless phone companies are working on fourth-generation mobile Internet technology, and Klegon said it's likely Chrysler would work with several providers.
The high-speed Internet access could allow Chrysler to tap into some features that its competitors tout. The Internet could be used to transfer media, including music, to the vehicle. Ford Motor Co.'s Sync system can transfer music from an iPod using Bluetooth technology. Also, Klegon said it's possible a secure Internet connection could be used for software upgrades -- something General Motors Corp. aims to do with its OnStar system.
Chrysler's interest in the technology shows that the auto industry is increasingly embracing the same kind of technology as consumer electronics makers, said Jeff Kagan, a Marietta, Ga., telecom industry analyst.
One problem automakers face, however, is that people tend to keep their cars much longer than they do cell phones and iPods.
"The technology evolves so quick that it could be obsolete six months after you buy the car," he said. "But as satellite radio shows, such technology can attract more buyers to the brand."
You can reach Eric Morath at (313) 222-2504 or emorath@detnews.com.
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Wayport Strengthens Position in the Nordic Region by Delivering Guest Internet Services to Major Hotel Chains
AUSTIN, TX - April 10, 2007 — Wayport, Inc., an international leader in the design and integration of applications and software over wired and wireless carrier grade networks, announced today new agreements with major Nordic hotel chains. Over the last months, Wayport has signed agreements to deliver its guest Internet services to First Hotels, Restel hotels (the management company for Cumulus, Holiday Inn, Ramada and Rantasipi Hotels in Finland), Norlandia Hotels & Resorts and Zleep hotels. Guests at these hotels can now access Internet via Wayport’s services. The agreements place Wayport’s public PC solution or high-speed Internet deployment in more than 80 hotel properties. These new customers in Nordic countries further strengthen Wayport’s position as one of the largest network and application providers for the hospitality market in the region.
“Our customers depend on reliable Internet services for their business needs,” says Mr. Torbjørn Slåtto, VP Marketing for First Hotels. “Wayport has years of experience and a proven track record of providing innovative top quality solutions to match these needs as well as meeting our brand requirements.”
“We are very pleased that we can work with the major Nordic hotel chains to offer their guests state-of-the-art services, and we look forward to a long-term partnership and building solutions that meet the future needs of the hotels and their guests,” says Ib Drachmann-Hansen, President at Wayport EMEA. “The strengthening of our Nordic markets is another step forward in our European growth strategy, aiming to be the leading service and applications provider in the hospitality sector throughout the continent.”
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About Wayport, Inc.
Building on its established network infrastructure encompassing more than 13,000 locations in 32 countries, Wayport designs, develops and enables software and applications over carrier grade networks for innovative organizations in a number of vertical markets encompassing retail, healthcare, hospitality, managed services and others. Wayport helps organizations attract and retain loyal customers, create new business capabilities and improve operational efficiencies at premier venues including major hotels, airports, McDonald’s and Hertz locations, and other retail brands worldwide. To learn more about Wayport, please visit www.wayport.net or to see locations worldwide, visit www.wayport.net/locations
]]>The iPass Virtual Network Now Unifies More Than Half of the World’s Wi-Fi Locations
REDWOOD SHORES, Calif. and AUSTIN, Tx. – Nov. 13, 2006 – iPass, Inc. (NASDAQ: IPAS) a global provider of services that unify enterprise mobility management, and Wayport, one of the world's leading providers of applications support, innovative technology and Wi-Fi network infrastructure, today announced that they have expanded their relationship, giving iPass users immediate access to Wi-Fi locations in more than 7,500 of McDonald’s 13,700 restaurants across the United States.
“By adding Wayport-enabled McDonald’s restaurants to their already-large list of sites, iPass has made it easier for users to be productive wherever they roam, while simplifying billing, security and service management for the enterprise.“ ,said Craig Mathias, a principal with the wireless and mobile advisory firm Farpoint Group (Ashland, MA).
iPass users have been able to roam at Wayport hotel and airport locations since 2002. The expansion to this agreement adds more than 7,500 McDonald’s Wi-Fi-enabled restaurants to the iPass virtual network. This means that iPass users can connect at these venues using their familiar iPassConnect™ universal client, that usage at participating McDonald’s restaurants will appear as part of an enterprise’s consolidated iPass connectivity invoice, and that all iPass connectivity and device management features will be available for user sessions at these locations.
“iPass is an organization that cares about offering a high-quality experience to their customers, and Wayport is excited to expand our relationship with iPass,” said Dan Lowden, vice president of business development and marketing for Wayport.”
Over the past decade, iPass has helped hundreds of the world’s largest companies become more productive by harnessing mobile technologies. With the addition of 7,500 McDonald’s restaurants in the United States, iPass becomes the first vendor to unify more than half of the world’s hotspots into a single enterprise offering. Through iPass services, companies can now deliver more than 70,000 of the world’s 130,000 locations* to their remote and mobile workers, all via a single convenient user interface and management portal.
“We want to make getting connected on the road as convenient as if you were at your desk, and that means being in the places that people recognize and trust, said Anurag Lal, chief business development and sales officer, iPass. “Through this expansion of our relationship with Wayport, iPass now offers Wi-Fi at over 70,000 locations, 30,000 more than any other Wi-Fi service, so that as our customers roam they are seldom far from an enterprise-ready broadband connection. “
*Source: www.jiwire.com, October 2006
About Wayport, Inc.
Building on its established network infrastructure encompassing nearly 13,000 locations in 32 countries, Wayport designs, develops and enables software and applications over carrier grade networks for innovative organizations. Wayport helps innovative companies attract and retain loyal customers, create new business capabilities and improve operational efficiencies at premier venues including major hotels, airports, McDonald’s restaurants and Hertz locations, and other retail brands worldwide. To learn more about Wayport, please visit www.wayport.net or to see locations worldwide, visit www.wayport.net/locations.
About iPass Inc.
iPass helps enterprises unify the management of remote and mobile connectivity and devices. With iPass software and services, customers can create easy-to-use broadband solutions for their mobile workers, home offices, and branch and retail locations, complete with device management, security validation, and unified billing. iPass offerings are powered by its leading global virtual network, on-demand management platform, and award-winning client software. Hundreds of Global 2000 companies rely on iPass services, including General Motors, Nokia, and Reuters. Founded in 1996, iPass is headquartered in Redwood Shores, Calif., with offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.ipass.com .
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iPass® is a registered trademark of iPass Inc.
McDonald’s is the registered trademark of McDonald’s Corporation and its affiliates, used with permission.
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(C) 2006 Wireless Media News
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Podcast: This week we have the second installment in our series of executive chats, featuring the CEO of iPass, a Redwood Shores company that specializes in connecting road warriors to their corporate networks -- increasingly using technologies like WiFi and 3G. iPass CEO Ken Denman continues the conversation with business reporter Jessie Seyfer about how wireless and mobile connectivity are changing the way we work:
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