 | March 1, 2000 |
Omnipresence
Wherever you may roam
Unlike Orinoco and MobileStar (see "Wireless wars"), which concentrate wireless Internet access in public facilities, Metricom believes mobile users should be able to log in anywhere. In fact, Metricom even promotes wireless as an alternative to wired access for home users.
The firm began deploying its Ricochet wireless service at modem-like speeds in the San Jose area a few years back. At the recent ComNet 2000 show in Washington, DC, Metricom demonstrated 128-kbit/sec rates, which nibbles at the heels of what cable and DSL connections can guarantee. Metricom is building 128-kbit/sec wireless networks in more than 20 major markets. By mid 2001 the company plans to reach even more markets, encompassing more than 100 million potential customers.
—by Maury Wright
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