Where Are All the Wireless Hot Spots?
Source: NewsFactor
It is clear that several business and technical obstacles must be overcome before public wireless hot spots become so commonplace that everybody will have access to one nearby. Yet, industry analysts are generally bullish on the future of hot spots, particularly as their presence grows steadily in the United States.
Those who are not business travelers or coffee shop regulars likely have not had much contact with hot spots, since they are deployed in just a few strategic locations. They are set up in about a dozen major airports, as well as at some hotel chains and conference centers catering to corporate visitors.
Forrester Research senior analyst Charles Golvin noted that Starbucks (Nasdaq: SBUX) is among the most visible backers of public hot spots -- currently making them available in more than 1,200 of its coffee shops, with plans for more than 2,000 by the end of 2002.