Wireless Internet service provider WiFi Metro and roaming infrastructure software company Green Packet announced the launch of a 90-day field trial of the technology among WiFi Metro's San Francisco Bay Area customers.

Seamless Switching

In the test, WiFi Metro will integrate Green Packet's SONaccess IP routers and software with WiFi Metro's system of LAN (local area network) "hot spots," allowing users to switch from one network to another as they move in and out of the respective coverage areas, without having to log on and off.

Green Packet's technology is designed for use with such wireless devices as laptops, PDAs and, eventually, smartphones, delivering always-on access to data and Internet-based services. A single IP address can be used in multiple mobile networks, including those based on next-generation standards.

Green Packet spokesperson Derek Kober told Wireless NewsFactor the company initially is targeting carriers with wireless ISPs.

Significant Growth Potential

"Our roaming technology is the only one of its type on the Pocket PC platform, which has significant growth potential given the number of devices running that operating system," Kober said. It is not compatible with the Palm OS, he added.

What is most compelling about Green Packet's offering, said Kober, is that users have access to both the broadband capabilities of Wi-Fi and the extensive reach of cellular networks through a single connection. "With delays in the rollout of 3G networks, Green Packet is already offering connections to high-speed data service," he said.

Wi-Fi short-range wireless Internet networks, based on the 802.11a and forthcoming 802.11b wireless standards, have gained traction with deployments in hotels, coffee shops, airports and other public places.

Niche Market for Carriers

Wireless carriers have expressed interest in offering LAN service, but the melding of cellular and Wi-Fi networks represents a niche opportunity, according to Yankee Group analyst Phil Marshall.

"It presents a situation where they can provide complementary data services to existing subscribers on their 2.5G and 3G data networks, but it's important to remember that this does not deliver wide area coverage," he said.

Marshall suggested that carriers will use LANs only in situations where data services are required and there is a substantial subscriber base to support them.

In the U.S., operators such as VoiceStream, which last year bought a wireless ISP, and Sprint, which has invested in Boingo, are moving in this direction, said Marshall. In Europe, Telia and BT are among those building their own WLANs, he added.

Taking Fixed Line Mobile

According to Marshall, the biggest opportunity in this market is for fixed-line operators, who can add wireless mobility through their broad range of existing connections with such businesses as airports and hotels. "It also represents an opportunity for ISPs who need additional distribution channels for their products and services," he said.

Green Packet has targeted both enterprise users and carriers for its SONAccess platform, which is compatible with Pocket PC 2002 and Symbian OS-based handheld devices.

Another company offering similar technology is Padcom, which recently rolled out a modular software platform for switching among wireless networks.

Padcom's products have, to this point, been deployed primarily by law enforcement agencies. Oakland, California, police officers, for example, now can send and receive data wirelessly, regardless of the underlying network technology.