IP: Public Wireless LAN Access: A Threat to Mobile Operators?

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Michael , a former colleague who was at the FCC while I was there, has 
assured me, and I believe him, that any information requested will NOT be 
used to contact anyone. The people who wrote the report are interested in 
nature of the IPers that pick up the report. They will use it for nothing 
else. However don't feel shy to contact Michael if the report generates 
some interest in the subject or their services :-)

Enjoy,

Dave


> Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2001 16:28:32 +0100
> From: "Michael Kende" <Michael.Kende () analysys com>
> To: <dave () farber net>
>
> Dave,
>
> As I mentioned to you last week, a colleague of mine has written a
> report on 802.11, which we would like to make available to IPers.  This
> report discusses the role that WLAN technologies play in the wireless
> data market, the emergence of 802.11 as the technology of choice for
> WLANs, and the business models used by providers to capture the public
> WLAN access market, including the likely success factors.  The report
> concludes that mobile operators should not view WLANs as a threat to
> their 2.5G or 3G offerings, but rather as an opportunity to complement
> these offerings to provide true mobile access in 'hotspots' like
> airports.
>
> I have attached a brief description of the report, with an extract
> below.
>
> Please go to the following URL to receive a copy of the report.  The
> password is IPList (case sensitive).
>
> http://www.analysys.com/wlan/mkt53_full.asp
>
> Looking forward to hearing you on NPR this afternoon,
>
> Michael
>
> Public Wireless LAN Access: A Threat to Mobile Operators?
> Long before the roll-out of third-generation (3G) services, wireless
> data applications are being delivered over wireless local area networks
> (WLANs) based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
> (IEEE) 802.11 standards. In a new report from Analysys, Monica Paolini
> examines the role that WLAN technologies will continue to play in the
> wireless data market, and asks the question: 'Which service providers
> will be able to extract the greatest value from WLAN deployment?'
> While mobile operators increasingly view WLANs as a threat, Analysys
> argues that they may, in fact, represent a huge opportunity to offer
> consumers the true mobile broadband experience which 3G appears unlikely
> to deliver. But operators have a tough battle ahead if they are to
> succeed in this market. As the recent bankruptcy filing of Metricom -
> the US wireless-modem provider - shows, the wireless data customer is a
> hard one to please. Users in the US, Europe and Asia have markedly
> divergent interests, and will be willing to pay different sums for
> different services. And although technical feasibility and low cost will
> facilitate WLAN deployment in hot spots and dense metropolitan areas,
> they will not be the only success factors. The winners will be those
> operators able to provide seamless service across various types of
> network, and hence guarantee wide availability and true mobility.
>
>  <<Public WLAN Access - Description.doc>>
>
> Michael Kende
> Senior Consultant
> Analysys Consulting
> Tel:  1 202 756-1366
> Fax: 1 202 756-1548



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