Where are the Wi-Fi hot spots?

The companies involved in providing public 802.11b WLAN services - also known as Wi-Fi - must agree on how to let users know they are within range of an access point if the technology is to be a long-term success.

That's according to leading equipment companies, service providers and venue owners, and is a key issue underscored in the US this week with the not-for-profit Wi-Fi Alliance unveiling its W-Fi Zone programme, aimed at identifying public hot spots, initially in the US.

Public WLANs, which allow broadband communications, typically from a wirelessly equipped laptop or PDA, are growing in popularity in Europe too. It is estimated there are around 1,000 such areas across the continent, though only 65 of those are currently in the UK. Hotels, train stations, airports and coffee shops are cashing in on demand, especially from people travelling on business, selling minutes or luring in customers to purchase other goods or services while online.

However, venues, service providers and others are all promoting services in different ways, with non-standard logos and signs - if they have them at all. And while some users enjoy looking for free WLAN networks in public places to connect to the internet, others want to know before booting up a laptop that they are within range of an access point.

Claus Bjoernsten, European business development manager, Intel Mobility Platforms Group, said: "Security and general education are obviously important [for Wi-Fi uptake] but users need to know where there is a hot spot service. And there has to be some kind of value proposition behind any sign."

London's Royal Garden Hotel has done a deal with service provider Megabeam Networks to provide its guests with wireless internet access. It is using discreet signs placed on hotel tables and desks rather than bright logos, out of keeping with the rest of the luxury establishment.

Ryan Jarvis, CEO at Megabeam, which will expand to 200 UK locations by the end of 2003, said: "It's more important the customer knows it's a wireless LAN hot spot than they know it's a Megabeam hot spot."

As such, the 'Wi-Fi Zone' logo may yet find its way across the world. (See: http://www.wi-fizone.org/ ) The Wi-Fi Alliance, however, vets hot spots, demanding security via VPNs and minimum connection speeds of 128Kbps.

Christian Gunning, from Boingo Wireless, which sells wireless access in about 900 locations in the US, said: "Wi-Fi isn't visible in most locations. It is installed and available but there's no signage. Millions of people a day pass through Wi-Fi hot spots and don't even know that there's a high-speed internet connection available. As an industry, we have to be more aggressive at making the networks visible."

CNET News.com's Ben Charny contributed to this report.