Towards WiFi

Ahmed Hefnawy
Technical Affairs & Technologies Department

NTRA
22 December, 2003

Introduction
Why WiFi?

WiFi is Freedom
WiFi Connects You Anywhere
The WiFi Technology
Who Can Use WiFi?
WiFi Connects Travelers
WiFi is an extension to Your Current LAN.

22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

Introduction
Why WiFi?

From Work

To Home

In Airports Even Cafs &

and Hotels Restaurants

One standard everywhere!

22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

Introduction
Top 10 WiFi Countries
United States 6765.

Japan 1719.
United Kingdom 583.
Sweden 415.
Germany 352.
Canada 313.
Austria 292.
Australia 270.
Hong Kong 231.
Italy 173.

Global HotSpot location directory allows users to locate both

free and commercial wireless 802.11b WiFi HotSpots, access
zones, and service providers.
22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

Introduction
Analysts are expecting, by 2006:
800.000 HotSpots in Europe.
530.000 HotSpots in United States.
1000.000 Hot Spots in Asia.

22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

Introduction
WiFi Is Hot But Users Still Warming to
It
Most online consumers are aware of public
wireless Internet access hotspots, but only 6
percent have used the service in a public place.

according to a report released the last month by Jupiter Research. , By Matt

Villano

22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

WiFi Vs 3G
The two technologies are delivering
broadband wireless Internet access
services.
It remains an open question as to the
extent to which these two technologies are
in competition or, perhaps, may be
complementary.
22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

How alike they are ...!

Both are wireless
Avoids need to install cable drops.
Facilitates mobility.
Provides scalable infrastructure.

22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

How alike they are ...!

Both are access technologies
They offer alternatives to the last-mile wire
line network.
We must consider the role of backbone wire
line providers.

22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

How alike they are ...!

Both offer broadband data services
Real-time voice, data, and streaming media.
Always on connectivity.

22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

How different they are ...!

Current business models/deployment are
different
3G represents an extension of the mobile
service provider model.
WiFi comes out of the data communications
industry (LANs).
22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

How different they are ...!

Spectrum policy and management
3G and other mobile technologies use
licensed spectrum, while WiFi uses shared
spectrum.
Cost of service.
Quality of Service (QoS) and Congestion
Management.
22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

How different they are ...!

Status of technology development is
different
Deployment status.
Embedded support for services.
Standardization.
22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

How different they are ...!

Service / Business Model
3G is more developed than WiFi as a
business and service model.
it seems likely that the first 3G end-user
devices will be extensions of the cell phone
while the first WiFi end- user devices are PCs.
22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

WiFi in France
Private use: no authorization required
Public use (only in the 2.4GHz band):
Access points connected directly to an already
authorized network: no authorization required
Creation of a network to link the access points:
simple declaration
22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

WiFi in France
Experiments are encouraged and require
a simple declaration.
Both private and public networks must
follow the technical constraints, which limit
the power depending on the region
(Metropolitan, DOM, TOM), whether the
use is indoors or outdoors and which band
(2.4 or 5GHz) is used.
22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

WiFi in France
All 13 channels in the 2.4GHz are
authorized. Outdoors usage of the 5GHz
band remains forbidden, pending the
adoption of a new law.
[Source: GeeBlog]

22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

February, 2003

Wireless Statistics
The Boston Consulting Group estimates
global mobile commerce will generate
revenues of $ 100 billion by 2003.
By 2005, an estimated 35 billion e-mail
messages will be sent daily-thats roughly
six daily messages for each person on the
planet. (Its hard to imagine each one being
composed on a desktop).
Source: Cahners In-Stat Group., Stand: October 18, 2000
22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

Mobility Vs. Data rate

Public WLAN access will deliver limited mobility high
speed data access

Source: Analysys Research, Stand: Research, 2001

22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

Laptops in use to date

million

Source: Cahners In-Stat Group and Nokia 2001, Stand: April, 2001
22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

Laptop Applications
used while traveling
Check e-mail 86%
Prepare documents 85%
Log on to Internet 74%
Log into corporate network 59%
Scheduling 48% Presentations 45%
Entertainment 36%
Hours of use while traveling Less than 1 hr.
19%
1 - 2 hours 31% or 2 < 3 hours 19%
3+ hours 31%
Source: Cahners In-Stat Group, Stand: June, 2000
22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

WLAN Forecast
WLAN worldwide service revenues by
2007 will be reaching $9.5 billion.
80 % of all public WiFi will be deployed
in cafes, bars and restaurants.
The majority of WLAN service
revenues will come from business
users in airports, business hotels and
exhibition centers.
Source: Alexander Resources, Stand: February, 2003
22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

Some implications for industry

structure and public policy
WiFi is good for competition.
Spectrum Policy is Key.

Success of WiFi is potentially good

for multimedia content.

22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority

Thank you
22 December, 2003

National Telecom Regulatory Authority