by EsPUde » Wed, 02 Aug 2006 02:08:54
gt;From Internet to Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi)
A Study of Wi-Fi Public Hotspots Users.
PATRICK UDEH, ABD, MBA.
XXXX@XXXXX.COM
New York City
April 18, 2006
To shed lights on the usage of Wi-Fi, we are currently collecting data
for research study at www.WStudy.org click on [Wi-Fi Survey]. If
you have used Wi-Fi Public Hotspot go to the site above and
participate. There is a Dollar donation to charitable organization of
your choice for completing the survey. For questions and information
send an e-mail to XXXX@XXXXX.COM or XXXX@XXXXX.COM .
Introduction
Since its commercialization, the Internet has emerged from the confines
of academia to become a mass-market service used by over 60 percent of
the population (US Department of Commerce-NTIA, 2002). The Internet
has also become a ubiquitous medium and a basic tool available to the
general populace. Researchers suggest that advanced information
technology and telecommunications infrastructures are requirements for
active participation in today's global information economy (Kelly,
1998; Cairncross, 2001). One of the most important components in
accelerating electronic-commerce, electronic government, and business
development is high-speed broadband technology. The United States
Department of Commerce (2002) noted,
"Broadband high-speed, always on Internet connectivity represents
the next phase in the evolution of the Internet. Most experts predict
broadband access will enable the creation of new applications and
services that will transform economies and significantly impact the
competitiveness of the businesses of the future".
According to Nielsen/Net Ratings data, as of March 2004, the United
States broadband penetration of home connectivity was 45 percent, while
at work penetration stood at 70 percent. Nearly three out of four U.S.
households with a phone have access to the Internet, an overall
penetration rate of 75 percent (Nielsen/Net Ratings, 2004). More
recently, wireless Internet access has entered the mainstream of the
United States and industrialized countries. As a result, broadband
access to the Internet has increased and become more available to the
general population.
Wireless Revolution
The provision of wireless communications was not conceived until Bell
Laboratories developed the cellular concept in the 1960s and 1970s.
With the development of highly reliable, miniature, solid-state radio
frequency hardware in the 1970s, the wireless communications era was
born. Wireless local area network (WLAN) also dated back to early 70s
when the University of Hawaii launched a research project, ALOHANET,
which connected several computers on different islands via a radio
network. It is not until the 80s did the Federal Communication
Commission (FCC) authorized the use of the Industrial Scientific and
Medical (ISM) band for public and commercial use. The ISM band spans
902 MHz to 5.85 GHz frequencies. The wireless fidelity (WI-FI) fits
into this unlicensed band.
A wireless network is a network that uses radio waves as its carrier
that can be used to establish network connections to the Internet for
users within a coverage area. There are different types of wireless
technologies available, for example, wireless fidelity (IEEE 802.11),
Bluetoot
