Wireless LAN on platform 802.11b

Wireless LAN specialist Megabeam is to launch wireless internet access in 15 railway stations across the UK.

The company has been trialling wireless internet access in Paddington Station since November last year with 20 corporate customers, and has now expanded its deal with Railtrack to encompass 15 more stations.

The networks will connect travelling laptop users to the internet using the increasingly popular 802.11b wireless LAN standard, also known as wi-fi or WLAN.

Public WLAN networks are widely used in the US and elsewhere, and paid-for use of 802.11b equipment becomes legal on 1 August. BT plans to have 70 wireless hotspots active by the end of the year.

Megabeam CEO Ryan Jarvis said the Railtrack deals are not exclusive but he doesn't expect to see rival operators muscle in.

He said: "I don't think the return on investment will be there for a second operator. And I think the property owners will bear that in mind."

Megabeam aims to be a wholesale wireless LAN operator, building infrastructure into areas frequented by large numbers of business travellers, such as airports and international business hotel chains.

It then sells access to large telecoms companies, who resell the offering onto their corporate client base.

Ryan said: "We're negotiating with telcos, mobile operators, pan-European operators and out-of-area operators."

The company then strikes revenue share deals with property owners and telecoms operators.

The deal will initially be targeted at corporates, but Ryan expects one or more of his wholesale customers to offer pay-per-use access to SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) and private individuals before long.

The stations are Birmingham New Street, Charing Cross, Edinburgh Waverley, Euston, Fenchurch Street, Gatwick, Glasgow Central, Kings Cross, Leeds Central, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Manchester Piccadilly, Victoria and Waterloo. The technology will go live in two weeks.

Megabeam claims to be the only pan-European wireless LAN operator, with operations in France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.