Voice comes to WLANs
Currently the greatest hurdle for IP VoWLAN products is that they are usually developed using proprietary voice technologies. Often VoIP signaling protocols used on the LAN differ from vendor to vendor. Secondly, voice QoS is still an unresolved issue.
Telephony
October 24, 2003

3G Pricing: Is It a Show-Stopper?
Devising the right pricing strategy for 3G services is an interesting problem for the business units of operators. The market will probably see various pricing schemes for 3G. It is highly likely that the pricing models for 3G services will consist of combinations of the two basic rate types offered by wireline voice service providers—a monthly flat rate based on connection speed and quality of service plus an added component for premium services. Charging only flat fees similar to those of their satellite, DSL or cable-modem counterparts would be problematic, because demand for the service could be unlimited while the reward would be extremely limited. Users are likely to flood the network with traffic, which will affect the voice quality of the service and leave little room for profit among operators.
Telephony
August 23, 2003

Seamless mobility: The ultimate destination
Seamless mobility allows subscribers to have the best and most appropriate network connection at all times regardless of location and it allows network operators to share in all types of wireless revenues. With current spectrum allocation scenarios around the world, the tradeoff has always been speed vs. coverage, and hence the wireless network of the future will be a hybrid of 2G, 2.5G, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and UWB technologies with roaming/billing systems that provide the bridge.
Telephony
June 27, 2003

The evolution of the ISP market as a model for public Wi-Fi
In our last piece, we discussed how the development of the U.S./global cellular industry has some lessons in store for predicting the future of public Wi-Fi. Today we will draw some significant parallels between the development of the Internet service providers (ISP) market in the 1990s and today's public Wi-Fi market.
Telephony
May 23, 2003

Portland, Nextel on the same frequency
The city of Portland, once an outspoken critic of cellular-phone carrier Nextel and its interference with emergency communications networks, is now purchasing phones from the company. "When you're a business, you want an always-on system," said Goli Ameri, president of eTinium, a Portland telecommunications consulting firm. "You don't have to dial a number. You don't have to worry about the fact you need to leave a message. With city governments, they do operate like a business, and there is a lot of value to the fact that you're able to find a contact when and where you need them."
The Oregonian
April 19, 2003

Is Cellular the Role Model for Public Wi-Fi?
The development of the U.S./global cellular industry has some lessons for predicting the future of public Wi-Fi. Because of the still-to-be-determined business model, security issues and the absence of roaming agreements, many in the industry are uncertain about the future of Wi-Fi and the number of actual users. The history of the cellular industry provides very interesting parallels, which debunks many of these assertions.
Telephony
March 28, 2003

Portland Anti-War Rally Goes Wireless
Wireless companies began offering text messaging in the United States about two years ago, said Goli Ameri, president of eTinium, a Portland telecommunications consulting firm. It is not yet as popular in the United States as it is in Asia and Europe. Intel recently ranked Portland the top city in the nation for the use of wireless technology, so Ameri said she isn't surprised that people here are finding new uses for text messaging. "Portland is a pretty tech-savvy city," she said. "That's why you see so many of these new technologies get introduced here first."
The Oregonian
March 25, 2003

In-Building Wi-Fi Business Models
Many public venues such as airport authorities are opting to install Wi-Fi systems as an in-building wireless technology. There are many issues that these entities need to take into consideration before deploying an in-building Wi-Fi system including technical issues, business models, and tenant requirements.
The Indoor Scoop
March 1, 2003

Ricochet Wireless Rides Again
If Ricochet's new owners have their way, laptop owners will forget the company's billion-dollar belly-flop and embrace Internet access that's comparatively pokey, but available both at home and on the road. "You get a nice, wide area coverage in a market," said Ricochet Vice President John Dee. "We're hot everywhere, not just in selected spots." The speed gap isn't the only factor that could make Ricochet fall flat again, said Goli Ameri, president of wireless consulting firm eTinium. She called Ricochet a "has-been technology" that is vulnerable to inroads from so-called 2.5G service, which offers slow wireless access through widely available telephone company networks.
Wired Magazine
February 18, 2003

Public Wi-Fi Business Models
Over the past two years, while most high tech sectors have faced major slowdowns, the Wi-Fi market has enjoyed tremendous growth. The evolution of "hotspots" or public WLANs however has had many false starts. Some business model pitfalls were a direct result of the flush capital markets of the late 1990s which encouraged reckless spending with little thought given to traditional income and expense models. Others were associated with the normal trial-and-error operations of launching any new business.
Telephony
January 29, 2003