Interesting People mailing list archives
IP: Bad sign for mobility
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 10:21:04 -0500
</computerworld/images/1pixclear.gif> </computerworld/images/1pixclear.gif> Airports ground use of wireless Safety, loss of income from pay phones cited By BOB BREWIN (February 19, 2001) Airport operators already control the airspace in their regions. Now they want the airwaves, too. Baltimore/Washington International Airport last week became the latest airport to clamp down on the public wireless LAN industry as well as on cellular carriers that operate on airport turf. Their concern: wireless interference with other systems, but also a decline in pay-phone revenue that has prompted some airports to look for ways to seek income from wireless technology. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport earlier this year declared a 90-day moratorium on wireless installations, until it can develop a regulatory and business strategy. BWI hasn't issued a formal ban, but John Linz, acting director of the airport's IT division, said he would deny any requests for installation of wireless LANs or cellular phone microcell sites within the airport until BWI has a contract in place for a third-party provider. BWI took the step to prevent interference with air traffic control and security systems, eliminate signal interference between wireless LANs and maximize revenue. According to Mike Beeler, assistant vice president of business development at MobileStar Network Corp. in Richardson, Texas, maximizing revenue from phone-toting travelers who no longer use pay phones is another airport concern. "We had an installation in Atlanta [temporarily] shut down last year . . . and in a meeting [there, we] were told [the airport operators] are losing $7 million a year in revenue from pay phones due to cell phone use," Beeler said. <snip> http://www.computerworld.com/cwi/story/0,1199,NAV47_STO57817,00.html For archives see: http://www.interesting-people.org/
Current thread:
- IP: Bad sign for mobility David Farber (Feb 23)