Slashdot Mirror
Canadian Telcos Agree on WiFi Hotspot Standard
Jucius Maximus writes "As reported by Globetechnology, Canada's cellphone providers have agreed to create a common standard for their subscribers to connect to the Internet via public "hot-spots." The agreement became necessary because Canada's cellphone providers offer four different and incompatible connection technologies. The carriers will continue to vigorously compete with each other, both for customers and Wi-Fi hotspot locations, the CWTA said in a statement."
While Standards do not really promote competition, standards make it easy for laypeople to access the 'Net. As a Verizon subscriber, and as a "alaunt" member, I would like nothing more than to see the Alaunt run beside us in battle. All Glory to Those who Came First.
Canadian cellphone carriers rally around Wi-Fi
By JACK KAPICA
Globe and Mail Update
Canada's cellphone providers have agreed to create a common standard for their subscribers to connect to the Internet via public "hot-spots."
The 12-million people who own cellphones, personal digital assistants or any wireless device and subscribe to Bell Mobility (with Aliant Mobility), Microcell Solutions (Fido), Rogers AT&T Wireless or Telus Mobility will be able to use all Wi-Fi hot-spots operated by any one of those companies.
The plan is to create "a common identity" in which Wi-Fi subscribers would be recognized by the other companies' hot spots and would have to pay for on-line time only to their own carriers.
"It will work just like Interac," said a spokesman for the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, referring to debit and credit cards working at any automated teller machine regardless of where the customer has an account.
The agreement became necessary because Canada's cellphone providers offer four different and incompatible connection technologies.
The carriers will continue to vigorously compete with each other, both for customers and Wi-Fi hotspot locations, the CWTA said in a statement.
"Wi-Fi is a natural extension to the ubiquitous wireless voice and data services offered by the licensed public wireless carriers across Canada," CWTA president and CEO Peter Barnes said. "By developing standards of service and interconnection, the carriers will ensure Canadians have secure and convenient access to Wi-Fi hotspots without requiring new network identities or billing arrangements."
Common standards introduced by the national Canadian cellphone carriers would help to eliminate the development of redundant authentication and billing methods and will lead to consistent, simplified access, the group said.
The announcement is a step toward the development of standards and cross-carrier roaming capabilities for Canadian Wi-Fi users. It is also expected to pave the way for future interoperability between the carriers' wireless data networks and their Wi-Fi hotspots.
The carriers said they expect to have standards and agreements in place by the end of the year, and have them operational in 2004.
"Much like the Canadian inter-carrier messaging agreement provided a tremendous boost to adoption of text messaging in Canada, today's announcement is expected to significantly increase the adoption rates of Wi-Fi in Canada," Mr. Barnes said.