Here Come the Big Guns
BusinessWeek takes a look at the growing European interest in Wi-Fi. Unlike the US where Wi-Fi is being built out predominately by individuals WISPs, mobile operators are the ones building out Wi-Fi networks in Europe. Initially operators were threatened by Wi-Fi but now see it as complementary to their 3G plans, especially once they can offer seamless roaming between Wi-Fi and cellular networks. While this is sure to grow the Wi-Fi market, it’s unlikely that wireless carriers will enjoy the same success they have with voice service due to the low barriers to entry to set up Wi-Fi.
