Noos

dahamsta

Stretching broadband with meshed WiFi

Mesh radio networks are definitely back in fashion. British developer BPO Solutions claims its Meshhopper fixed-mesh routing software works with ordinary 802.11b wireless Ethernet kit to build "WLAN microsites" able to share a broadband connection.

The company says it has almost finished field-testing its mesh technology at a rural site in the UK, and is moving on to set up urban microsites.

The advantage of a mesh is that it uses individual self-configuring nodes, each of which can reroute data in a 360º sweep. So if a node disappears, or cannot get a direct radio link to the broadband access point because it's blocked or out of range, it doesn't matter - the network will figure out other ways to get traffic to where it needs to be, for example bouncing it off another node.

[..]

Catalan wireless broadband takes to mobile masts

Network infrastructure costs are a big concern - not only for those building the networks, writes Rob Bamforth, Bloor Research.

Local authority plans and those people who live in the back yards that are being dug up or having masts built upon are also affected. New services seem to demand more new structures and disruption. Operators are reluctant to invest in regions where returns are likely to be low, and costs high - no surprise.

Yet the disconnected alternative is also unwelcome. Local businesses are disadvantaged if there is no fast access to the networked economy from their rural location. Would-be tele-workers in remote locations struggle without broadband connections and are forced back on the road to the office and so increase congestion.

It's good then to see projects that combines reuse of infrastructure with high-speed connection in a rural environment.

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Hey! You! Get onna The Cloud

The Cloud, the UK-wide broadband WiFi hot spot network, yesterday began offering its services at 200 pubs in the UK.

Service is free for the next six weeks. Meanwhile The Cloud, which is part of the Inspired Broadcast Networks and Leisure Link Group, will roll out its services to 1,000 sites (all pubs) by the beginning of July and 3,000 sites by the end of the year.

The Cloud has access to thousands of public venues where Inspired has connected entertainment machines, which are the process of been upgraded from ISDN to broadband connections. With these connections going in it's a natural edition to add WiFi access.

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MmO2 takes STG5.9bn write-down on 3G

MmO2 has taken a STG5.9 billion write-down on the value of its European 3G licences, the mobile permits it bought at the height of the telecoms boom.
In its fourth quarter and full year results, published on Wednesday, the parent company of O2 Ireland said it was taking the charge having conducted a thorough review of its business and deciding to delay the launch of 3G services in the UK until the second half of 2004.

Three years ago, European mobile operators believed 3G mobile permits would be a licence to print money, since they would allow the delivery of premium-priced, high-speed mobile services such as video phone calls. MmO2, which at the time was owned by British Telecom, along with Vodafone and other operators, ended up paying top price for the licences at the height of the telecoms boom. The massive write-down, which may put pressure on Vodafone to follow suit, comes after MmO2 realised both that it would need to delay the launch of 3G and that the take-up by consumers may not be as robust as previously believed.

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http://www.enn.ie/news.html?code=9361601

The Irish Independent reports that there have been calls for a reduction in mobile phone charges, in the wake of O2 Ireland's announcement that its trading profit increased 50 percent in a year. The mobile operator has an earnings margin twice that of its parent company mmO2. Analysts said the company's performance pointed to a lack of competition in the Irish market. "Instead of having to pass on savings to the consumer, the company is able to retain high profits," said Darragh Stokes of Hardiman Telecommunications. Read the details of mmO2's results as reported by ElectricNews.net on Wednesday.

The Corinthian

Please post a commentary or your opinion to any articles you post in future, Adam. Otherwise, we're going to start getting every press release on the planet posted up.