Bell Canada Launches Public Broadband Wireless Internet HotSpot Pilot

Bell introduces Bell AccessZone, a Wi-Fi hotspot pilot providing Canadians 
with another convenient way to wirelessly access high-speed Internet service.

    Bell Canada today announced Bell AccessZone, a Wi-Fi hotspot pilot that will provide Canadians with wireless high-speed access to the Internet (Wi-Fi is short for Wireless Fidelity and is the most popular worldwide term for high-speed wireless local area networks in offices, homes and public spaces). During the three month pilot, Bell will convert a number of high traffic payphones and other locations in Toronto and Montreal into wireless Internet access points. This gives mobile professionals, business travelers and consumers with 802.11b enabled laptops or wireless handheld devices another convenient option to wirelessly access the Internet, e-mail and corporate networks in public locations.

    "Bell AccessZone further demonstrates Bell Canada's commitment to meeting the evolving needs of mobile professionals and business travelers who are becoming increasingly reliant on wireless technologies for high-speed Internet access while away from home or the office," said Terry Mosey, President, Bell Ontario. "The AccessZone pilot builds on Bell's Internet and wireless expertise and extensive payphone infrastructure. Our partnerships with the hotspot pilot location providers and with industry leaders such as Intel and Cisco Systems will ensure that Canadians gain another convenient way to wirelessly access high-speed Internet service."

    During the Bell AccessZone Wi-Fi pilot, users with 802.11b enabled devices will be able to gain free access to Bell's hotspot service in the following high traffic locations: Toronto's Union Station; Via Rail Panorama lounge in Montreal's Central Station and Toronto's Union Station; the departure area at Montreal's Dorval International Airport; Kingston's Confederation Park and Marina supported by the Kingston Economic Development Corporation; and Kingston's St. Lawrence College. AccessZone is also available in the Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges at Pearson International Airport (Terminal 2), Dorval International Airport, and the Calgary International Airport and will be installed in all other Maple Leaf Lounge locations. Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital and Kingston's Frontenac Public Library will also be deploying a Bell AccessZone location in the coming weeks. Other pilot locations will be introduced over the pilot period, which is expected to run until the spring of 2003.

    In addition to providing a helpful and flexible service to individuals on the go, AccessZone is also a value added service for businesses such as hotels, office building reception areas, commuter lounges, cafés and convention centres. Lobbies, seating or common areas can easily be turned into AccessZones.

    "Air Canada feels that AccessZone Wi-Fi hotspot services will become an extension of the enterprise and home network by providing high-speed wireless connectivity to travelers where they would otherwise be out of touch," said Pierre Bourbonniere, Manager, Airport Products Design and Strategy, Marketing, Air Canada. "By partnering with Bell we are helping mobile professionals and business travelers using 802.11b enabled computing devices do business where they want and access information when they need it."

    According to Mosey, sporting facilities, universities, libraries and municipalities have also expressed an interest in AccessZone. "Based on the success of the AccessZone pilot, Bell plans to work with other enterprise customers across Canada to build a large AccessZone footprint where customers can gain wireless Internet access in a number of convenient Wi-Fi hotspot locations," said Mosey. "We've seen a very positive response to our recent WLAN enterprise offer, and we're anticipating a similar reaction for the Wi-Fi hotspot service."

    According to industry research, billions of dollars in research and development and manufacturing capacity are now directed at developing 802.11 products. A November 2001 study conducted by Analysys, a U.S. research company, suggests that 21 million people will use public Wi-Fi access by 2007, via 41,000 hotspots, generating $3 billion dollars in revenue. Research conducted in 2002 by Alexander Resources, states that the largest portion of worldwide service revenues, reaching $9.5 billion by 2007, will be generated from WLAN systems deployed in public areas.

    "Intel's involvement with Bell AccessZone initiative is due in large part to the steady growth in demand we're witnessing from Canadian enterprises and consumers for 802.11 enabled devices, including laptops based on our upcoming Banias technology," said Doug Cooper, Country Manager, Intel Canada. "More and more businesses are requesting 802.11 enabled laptops because they are deploying WLAN within their own organizations. This growth in corporate users creates a readily available market for public hotspot providers to tap into."

    Each Bell AccessZone hotspot communicates with an 802.11b enabled device over a wireless LAN, enabling users to make a high speed DSL connection to the Internet without the need for a physical landline connection. As long as a user is within a 50 to 200 metre radius of an AccessZone Wi-Fi hotspot, they can take advantage of Bell's public wireless broadband network services. Bell will finalize its competitive pricing structure based on the results of the three month pilot and other factors. The service is currently being offered free of charge with no time restrictions. Bell AccessZone is a secure service when used with a virtual private network (VPN) client and a firewall. AccessZone will not provide additional security for end-users during the pilot, however security software can be installed onto equipment to help prevent security issues. Bell is currently working with leading 802.11 manufacturers as they develop further security solutions such as Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA).

    About Bell Canada
    Bell Canada, Canada's national leader for communications in the Internet world, provides connectivity to residential and business customers through wired and wireless voice and data communications, high speed and wireless Internet access, IP-broadband services, e-business solutions, local and long distance phone and directory services. Bell Canada is owned by BCE Inc. of Montreal. For more information please visit http://www.bell.ca  

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Contact: 
Don Blair
Bell Media Relations
(416) 581-3311
(888) 482-0809
don.blair@bell.ca