EvilBunny, Actually, in the US most WISPs have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the hotspot model. They definitely are not clamoring for it. Many, in fact, think hotspots will be offered as an amenity (as you noted also), and as such, in their opinion there is no money in it for them as infrastructure providers. In my opinion, hotspots will be all over the place regardless of the current dilemnas and regardless that Boingo, Joltage, Wayport, T-Mobile, etc. have not been able to successfully convince the throngs of small, hometown commercial WISPs that they have anything to gain in providing the infrastructure.
I suspect, of all unlicensed wireless models, the hotspot model is the one most likely to be controlled by carriers and the major IT companies in the end game -- and that even includes the "free" zones (which will likely be sponsored by a commercial interest). By contrast, the local WISPs are now like the corner hardware stores of yesteryear - they are the real heroes of unlicensed wireless right now. They are putting their own money and sweat on the line. They ask for nothing for free, they pay for the bandwidth they consume, most try to follow the rules, and they are delivering real service often where none existed before. Some of these are as small as one person and a spouse businesses, other are considerably larger, all deserve recognition and appreciation. All the hotspot noise as far as the major IT interests are concerned is only about getting the money out of business travelers in hotels, airports, and coffee shops. For the WISP and for those of us that support them, it is about bringing broadband into their schools, businesses and homes where no one else cares enough to do so. At a time when everyone else is just talking, complaining, or hyping, WISPs are stubbornly doing just "doing it" in thousands of tucked away communities around the country. Someday, for better or for worse, an aggregator will come along to "Wal-Mart" them and that will be the end of a very interesting pioneering era in the revolution of IP. ...Now, I'll step down off the soapbox too... Patrick J. Leary Chief Evangelist, Alvarion, Inc. Executive Committee Member, WCA/LEA [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ph: 760.494.4717 Cell: 770.331.5849 Fax: 509.479.2374 -- general wireless list, a bawug thing <http://www.bawug.org/> [un]subscribe: http://lists.bawug.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless
