Currently offered in Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and
Austin's Bergstrom International Airport, the service is available
in airport common areas. And it's provided by two rival Texas
firms: Wayport, based in
Austin, and MobileStar Network, based in
Richardson. Wayport charges $3.50 for an unlimited connection at
one location. MobileStar operates as a subscription service, with
monthly fees ranging from $15.95 for 200 minutes to $59.95 for
unlimited usage; the company also offers a pay-as-you-go plan.
Wayport plans to offer its service in five major U.S. airports and
three overseas locations by mid-year. And in a partnership with
American Airlines, MobileStar offers its version in 27
Admirals Clubs and gate areas in seven airports. Separately,
Aerzone, a subsidiary of Soft Net Systems, offers wireless
broadband access in two Canadian airports, Vancouver and
Ottawa.
How it works: Small access points hidden in the ceiling or
walls every couple of hundred feet emit low-frequency radio waves
that "talk" to a laptop's wireless
Ethernet card.
Any extra equipment needed? Yes. Laptop users need wireless
networking cards to tap into these local wireless networks. Most
wireless subscribers use
Wi-Fi certified IEEE 802.11.b network
cards, otherwise known as Direct Sequence (DS); make sure your
network card is compatible, because there are several standards.
Newer laptops from Apple,
Dell, and
IBM can include built-in
wireless networking cards, which usually sell for $99 to $250 at
retail outlets and airport kiosks set up by wireless providers.
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