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Asia Opens Up to WLAN

Posted by chrisd on from the cooperation-is-good dept.

enough2000 writes "As Unstrung reports: "Five of Asia's biggest carriers have given the public Wireless LAN market a hefty boost by announcing what they modestly claim is the world's first and largest wireless broadband alliance. Korea Telecom, China Netcom Corp. Ltd., Maxis (Malaysia), StarHub (Singapore), and Telstra Corp.(Australia) have agreed to open up their networks to allow wireless LAN users to roam from one country to another. Tests begin in July, although no specific launch date has been set." Full article is here."

50 of 78 comments (clear)

  1. Joy! by electro_mike · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It is always great to hear about progress like this, even if it isn't in canada. It just means mass production and cheaper costs down the road

  2. Great, thats all we need by gowen · · Score: 2, Funny

    China, Korea and Telstra have new WiFi link! Now they can spam the rest of world without having to leave the comfort of their armchairs...

    --
    Athletic Scholarships to universities make as much sense as academic scholarships to sports teams.
    1. Re:Great, thats all we need by Sadiq · · Score: 1

      I'm shocked that this was moderated as funny, it's not. This guy's just being racist. The biggest chunk of spam I receive comes right out of the US and UK.

      --
      SysWear - Geek T-shirts (UK/Europe)
    2. Re:Great, thats all we need by the+uNF+cola · · Score: 1

      Yeah, but just sabotage them with a few microwaves, and you are set. :)

      heh, never image you could DDOS with a bunch of bean burritos.

      --

      --
      "I'm not bright. Big words confuse me. But Wanda loves me and that should be enough for you." - Cosmo

    3. Re:Great, thats all we need by ketamine-bp · · Score: 1

      Nope, he's not racist, from what I receive from my mailbox (cchong at marxists dot org), I receive at least 5 mail a day, ALL of them are from the mainland china, well.

      (disclaimer: I am a chinese myself. I live in Hong Kong.)

    4. Re:Great, thats all we need by ketamine-bp · · Score: 1

      I would rather target the spammer with High-power microwave that burn their _testis_ off.

      Hmm.. actually, the best way of fighting against spam is to educate. If no one buy things from spam, no one would spam and all would be free.. though we have got to notice the difference between smartness and stupidity is that stupidity does not have a hard limit.

    5. Re:Great, thats all we need by gowen · · Score: 2, Informative

      Err nope. I keep stats on these things. Of the last 8,000 spams I've received, over 5,500 originated from APNIC IP addresses, the vast majority of those from Korea, China and Taiwan. Add to that that Telstra recently imposed a Usenet Death Penalty on itself -- to avoid an external one -- because of the amount of spam coming from its servers. I have no problem with Chinese or Korean people, and the only reason I don't like Australians is because they're too good at cricket.

      The amount of US (Roadrunner, SWBell and Pacbell) and UK (Ntlworld ADSL) spam *is* on the increase, though.

      --
      Athletic Scholarships to universities make as much sense as academic scholarships to sports teams.
  3. Re:the power of the internet by James_Duncan8181 · · Score: 1

    Just wait till the Chinese shit a brick when they get interent access that is effectively impossible to tie to a certain individual. I always wondered if Indel's CPUID was going to be demanded in China.

    --
    "To any truly impartial person, it would be obvious that I am right."
  4. Japan Japan by kahei · · Score: 3, Interesting


    Conspicuous by their absense from this list, huh?

    Ah well.

    --
    Whence? Hence. Whither? Thither.
    1. Re:Japan Japan by csguy314 · · Score: 1

      Japan? What about Indonesia? It's got the 4th largest population in the world.

      --
      This is left as an exercise for the reader.
    2. Re:Japan Japan by ketamine-bp · · Score: 1

      The problem isn't population, it's money. If you have 10 customer each capable of paying you 100 dollar per month, it's better than 1000 customer each capable of paying you 1 cent per month, that's it.

      No, i'm not a racist, but this is the truth.

    3. Re:Japan Japan by mskeggs · · Score: 1

      Not so surprising really. This smells like pure PR as Telstra at least has no WiFi network and no stated intention to roll one out (although they did pilot some airport hotspots at some point IIRC). Japan has its own successful mobile data service with imode so doesn't need to embrace this stunt for shareholders. For a lot of the telcos, the internal position is imode may be a competitive technology to WiFi. Just because you know it isn't doesn't mean the phone company is awake (they brought us WAP remember).

  5. 3G in Asia? by locknloll · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Interesting stuff, and pretty cool if you travel a lot in these countries, but does this ultimatively mean the end for 3G over there? I don't really know much about 3G activities in Eastern Asia (except for Inode in Japan), so it would be quite nice to see if the telecom companies will continue developing UMTS-like mobile networks. Any tips, comments?

    --
    -- Power corrupts, but PowerPoint corrupts absolutely.
    1. Re:3G in Asia? by slashd'oh · · Score: 1

      According to a CNET Asia article (21 March), the 3G will compliment the faster, cheaper WiFi when it's unavailable and in case of service-drops:

      "The alliance members do not believe that the new deal will undermine the adoption of third generation (3G) mobile phone service, which will boast high-speed Internet access.

      Kim Jung Soon, director of NESPOT, Korea Telecom's hot spot project group, said the two services will be complementary. Wi-Fi is fast and cheap but limited in coverage, while 3G is more expensive, slower but covers the country, he said.

      'In future, we may have a system where a user with a PDA might enjoy low-cost, high-speed Net access in a hot spot. But when he leaves it, his terminal will transparently switch to a higher-cost, slower 3G service,' he said."

    2. Re:3G in Asia? by locknloll · · Score: 1

      1) Right - my typo (trying to comply to /. standards)
      2) Over there, alas in East Asia. Over here would mean Sweden, where telecom companies and ISP's are struggling pretty hard to make 3G and WiFi complementary services.

      --
      -- Power corrupts, but PowerPoint corrupts absolutely.
  6. Isn't it redundant... by McNeany · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Isn't it redundant to say this is the first AND largest... If it is the first... it MUST BE the largest.

    --
    I don't believe in sigs.
  7. Google for the Australians? by GQuon · · Score: 3, Interesting

    My knee-jerk reaction to this was: OK, now Australians can't use Google anymore.
    But of course, that only applies if they go to China.
    And they can perhaps use a VPN connection to Australia to access all those blocked sites?

    (Sort of an "ask Slashdot" question...)

    --
    Irene KHAAAAAAN!
    1. Re:Google for the Australians? by ketamine-bp · · Score: 1

      That happens all the time, but remember:

      The aim of the chinese government is to block the website so that the less educated will stay less-educated and the more-educated population is thus controlled.

      Well, to them, if you are so smart that you have overseas proxy/VPN/whatever on your hand, they have no intention to block you as you are already able to do that overseas anyway, they want to keep the inside clean (that is, the mainland poor chinese) , not the outside. :-)

  8. Political roaming by cwernli · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Now if they would only allow for political roaming too (tanks are not considered as such !), then Asia would not only be innovative, but it would suddenly become interesting too...

  9. Censored Internet - Everywhere! by GamezCore.com · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hooo Boy! Now they can surf the three ALLOWED pages wirelessly... from anywhere censored internet access is available!

    --

    www.GamezCore.com For Hardcore PS2 Gamerz : By Hardcore PS2 Gamerz
  10. LAN Party! by Alan+Holman · · Score: 1

    Wireless LAN -- yet another way to avoid that large brown pollution cloud which hangs over much of asia!

  11. Deformation professionelle by cwernli · · Score: 1

    I think you wanted to say I-Mode :)

  12. Good or Bad? by timeOday · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I can't decide whether I want the establishment to embrace WiFi. I already have WiFi access at the main places I want it, for free. Once somebody tries to cash in on the trend, how long until conflict arises over the spectrum and we start hearing complaints about "pirate WiFi", akin to "pirate radio"?

    1. Re:Good or Bad? by CausticWindow · · Score: 1

      Except that the frequencies used by "WiFi" aren't regulated.

      I guess that there might be some controversy in the US with personal vs. business conflict, seeing as it is that 'The business of USA, is business'.

      --
      How small a thought it takes to fill a whole life
    2. Re:Good or Bad? by timeOday · · Score: 1
      Exactly.

      Look at people who registered a domain name, then years later some business registers a similar name as a trademark and sues for the domain name.

      Back when the domain name was registered, it wasn't even clear that such a thing could ever happen, any more than somebody would sue over using certain variable names in source code. But money changes everything.

      The first thing the telcos will have to do is charge at least $8/mo just to cover billing and advertising, and that's before they even start charging for bandwidth, or the billions upon billions they'll claim to have spent for infrastructure.

  13. Re:the power of the internet by koekepeer · · Score: 1

    would be funny if china decided to go with M$'s plans regarding DRM after all, instead of their redflag linux...

    btw: love your sig

    "There are already a million monkeys on a million typewriters, and Slashdot is NOTHING like Shakespeare..."

  14. Pants *then* shoes by slashd'oh · · Score: 4, Insightful

    First, two quotations:

    "'We will begin to see similar agreements in Europe very shortly,' she predicts. 'Mobile carriers will build up their own network first and then work together with other operators.'"

    followed by:

    "Richard McBride,... told Unstrung that the potential challenges the five carriers may face should not be underestimated. 'I think it could be pretty tight to sort this by July, because there are so many commercial pressures pulling in all directions,' he remarks. 'You cannot downplay the technical aspects required if they are looking for full interoperability between the networks.'"

    It's a shame they couldn't choose a standard first and then build their own networks. (I know little about WiFi nets but it does seem counterproductive.)

  15. um... by Joe+the+Lesser · · Score: 1

    and Telstra Corp.(Australia)

    When was Australia downgraded from a continent and merged with Asia?

    --
    "I only speak the truth"
    Karma: null(Mostly affected by an unassigned variable)
    1. Re:um... by DarkKnightRadick · · Score: 1

      When they censored Google and any website they don't agree with?

      --
      "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Proverbs 16:25 (NKJV)
    2. Re:um... by cwernli · · Score: 1

      Well, if this can happen, Australia could also bump into Asia, couldn't it ?

    3. Re:um... by jaymz666 · · Score: 1

      Oh.... Australia is a continent? I thought it was in Europe.

  16. Simply another Counter Revolutionary Tool by Montgomery+Burns+III · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    Using the security vulnerabilities that are endemic with WI-FI, The Chinese government can take additional steps to repress free thought, and spy on the chinese people as well as any ignorant western business personnel who may be travelling there.
    --

    'ta
  17. First *and* largest? by ChicagoFan · · Score: 2, Funny
    by announcing what they modestly claim is the world's first and largest wireless broadband alliance

    If they don't know enough discrete math to realize that they are being redundant, can we really trust their technical background?

    ChicagoFan

    1. Re:First *and* largest? by ChicagoFan · · Score: 1
      I'm assuming, of course, that they saw no one else entering the arena in the near future, as opposed to making their alliance but knowing someone else was going to make a smaller alliance by the time of their press conference.

      I'm just being way to pedantic here, aren't I?

      Hello? Hello? (crickets chirping, as even the moderators have left to go play Frogger at this point)

      ChicagoFan

  18. Bang for the Buck by jimmyCarter · · Score: 1

    I bet Australians and such will get their money's worth while traveling in China...

    --

    -- jimmycarter
  19. Hmm Asia eh? by headchimp · · Score: 1

    I'm thinking it will be bogged down by all those relay spammers.

  20. First Is Largest? by jot445 · · Score: 1

    >> what they modestly claim is the world's first and largest wireless broadband alliance

    Most of the time, the first (only) entry into a list is the largest. Also the smallest, the wierdest, or even the [insert your superlative here]. They should not so modest in their claim. It's true after all!

    --
    The preceding comment has been reviewed and declared to be compliant with HIPPA Phase II regulations.
  21. Continents by Sam+the+Nemesis · · Score: 1
    I am boycotting Slashdot for considering Australia a part of Asia.

    Down with Slashdot!

  22. Re:the power of the internet by taweili · · Score: 1

    You can already surf anonymously in China. Walk into a cybercafe, pay 25 cents an hour and you are set. No registration, no ID, just you and China's Great Firewall. ;)

    Wireless MAC address is unique and billing of WiFi services does tie you to the acceess. You will get less privacy using WiFi.

  23. One ring to bind them: does this mean by SolemnDragon · · Score: 2, Interesting
    That the Australians will now have access to the censored chinese internet, or that the chinese will no longer be able to escape the censorship by visiting other countries?

    And for that matter, how long before the idea catches on that, by working together, one ring of networks can try to encompass everyone, and WiFi pirates really WILL be the political protests of the future?

    I mean this seriously. I don't know enough about this to know how much this is going to limit people's freedom of speech, and anywhere china gets involved, so does censorship. Which might, come to think of it, explain the conspicuous absence of japan from this group...

    --
    "I'd say 'Have a good time,' but arson is still illegal.
  24. China Netcom doesn't have a 3G license yet! by taweili · · Score: 1

    China Netcom is still waiting for the 3G license which everyone is guessing the Chinese government will require China Netcom as well as China telecom to adapt the home grown 3G standard calls TD-SCDMA . TD-SCDMA is the third UMT approved 3G standards along with WCDMA and CDMA2000.

    Because of the delay in licensing, China Netcom and China Telecom has been deployed PHS system called XiaoLingTong all over China. PHS is basically a extension to their fixed line operation and there are already company producing PHS/WiFi boxs and cards. The living in China is quickly become an metropaliton and China's national agenda are to build large and crowded city. With that kind of future, PHS + WiFi does make more sense then expensive deployment of 3G. You would be covered most of the time and I don't think we really have data that emergen that you just can't wait for a couple minutes to get it. If your life depending on instance access to data to that degreee, you'd better just stay home and have redundent links.

    When it comes down to it, 3G is all about data but 3G can't deliver data comparable to 802.11b for another couple years and by that time, WiFi would have advanced already. 3G suppose to deliver superior voice quality but with the price difference, I rather use IP phone.

    Overall, 3G is a hype created by global telecom to harvest more money from individual to archive better ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) for their business. With some of the telecom in a protected region still enjoy 20~30% profit margin these days, they will do everything in their power to discredit WiFi. It's good to see some of the telecom actually recognize this and step into WiFi.

  25. $$$ for Stats!! by fygment · · Score: 1

    A stunning money maker for those involved if they cater to the traffic of consumer stats. Now "they" will be able to track not just your surfing but your travels too. I imagine the anti-terrorist folks would find this good too.

    --
    "Consensus" in science is _always_ a political construct.
  26. austrailia! by kguilber · · Score: 1

    So now that austrailia is part of asia, what will their accent sound like?

  27. Even if... by interactive_civilian · · Score: 2, Informative
    I think you wanted to say I-Mode :)
    Even if that is the case (which it is), iMode is not G3. The current G3 system in Japan is the NTT DoCoMo Foma system. While Foma can access iMode sites (which really are normal internet sites which you can access with you web-browser, with some special characters for smileys and such), non-G3 phones can also access them, as can your regular internet connection. For example, I currently use DoCoMo with a Panasonic P503i phone, which is not G3. My phone bandwidth is 9600bps...but I can use iMode and iAppli (Java apps on your phone).

    Of course, the G3 system, which currently runs at 384Kbps, is really expensive. NTT charges based on the number of packets instead of connection time, or even a flat rate, unlimited connection fee (unlike DDI Pocket, which I use and runs at 128KBpbs).

    Anyway, I am looking forward to when J-phone and/or DDI Pocket start implementing their own G3 networks as they tend to have much better pricing options than NTT DoCoMo.

    --
    "Empathise with stupidity, and you're halfway to thinking like an idiot." - Iain M. Banks
  28. Error in article? by markov_chain · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The companies have so far invested more than $100,000 in the deal, excluding investments in the pilot roaming service.

    Wow, they invested a whopping $100,000! Are they sure they can afford that much? With that amount of support, I'm sure the WLAN services will be everywhere in no time!

    Maybe the author meant to write $100M.

    --
    Tsunami -- You can't bring a good wave down!
  29. What? by sean.peters · · Score: 1

    Joe built a house, then Sally built a bigger house. See how this works? Joe's was first, but Sally's is bigger.

    If they had said the "ONLY and largest", you might have a point.

    Sean

  30. Who mods this stuff up? by sean.peters · · Score: 1

    Since when is "first & largest" redundant? First != only.

    Sean

    1. Re:Who mods this stuff up? by nobbis · · Score: 1

      Wrong: if you're announcing something that doesn't exist as being the first of its kind, then it means there aren't any others, thus implying that it must be the largest.

  31. Re:Good news by djupedal · · Score: 1

    Overrated? You're just jealous.

  32. Starhub got a great deal by clusterix · · Score: 1

    They wire up one building (Suntec convention center not even all of Suntec) and all the sudden they are signing big deals allowing people to 'roam' in Singapore. This is complete PR bull. My own house's wifi has larger coverage, maybe I should make some deals.

    And yes they have claimed the airport and Singapore Expo, just try and find real info on them at www.starhub.com.

    Wow 20,000 hot spots and 3 of them in Singapore. What a great deal.