TORONTO-Joining the increasing number of fixed-line companies re-examining the wireless market, Bell Canada yesterday launched a trial of “hot spots” providing wireless high-speed Internet access.
The service aimed at business customers is free until March. It is available at several sites in Montreal, Kingston and Toronto. The project will also include service at Air Canada airport lounges in Calgary, Montreal, Toronto and elsewhere. The pilot project is intended to measure how customers use the service and how much to charge for it.
Bell Canada is using wireless hot spots with the Wi-Fi standard, technically known as 802.11b. The technology offers high-speed Internet access for laptop computers and other wireless devices equipped with 802.11 cards. The speed is generally comparable to a wired broadband connection and works within a radius of 100 yards from a Wi-Fi node.
The carrier’s hot-spot trial is an extension of its recently announced wireless local area network (WLAN) strategy. For businesses with WLANs, employees can stay connected while traveling if there is a hot spot available.
