T-Mobile Austria takes over WLAN Pioneer 
metronet Broadband Wireless Service Provider

    Early in 2002, T-Mobile Austria was the first network operator to enter into a forward-looking cooperation with metronet, the largest Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) operator in Austria and the fourth largest WISP (Wireless Internet Service Provider) in the world. The company has more than 300 WLAN locations in hotels, cafes, motorway services, railway stations, airports and petrol stations as well as Hot zones, e.g. at the Wiener Graben (Rock Quarry), at Stephansplatz and at Naschmarkt in Vienna.

    "This strategic investment will catapult T-Mobile to the forefront of the Austrian WLAN market. In addition to our own WLAN locations, we are engaged in further intensive development of this area of potential. This deal is therefore bringing us a large step closer to the international objective of providing WLAN around the entire globe," explains Dr. Georg Pölzl, Managing Director of T-Mobile Austria. "The take over is subject to formal board approval."

    "Under its brand T-Mobile HotSpot, T-Mobile International is already enjoying extremely successful operations in Europe and the USA (more than 3000 hotspots) and is continuously extending its range of services. metronet's WLAN locations will be incorporated in the international, convenient service platform of T-Mobile International," continues Pölzl. "T-Mobile is strongly committed to taking the business market, which is a key cornerstone in its mobile data strategy. T-Mobile is proud of a broad portfolio of services ranging from instant e-mail access on mobile devices to WLAN to software solutions for larger corporations. All services are highly secure, simple to use with a global focus, ensuring the needs of our global footprint is served." 

    Austria's WLAN frontrunner

    T-Mobile Austria's forward-looking move of entering the Austrian WLAN market also brings the company to the forefront in an international context. Austria generally adopts a precursory role in matters relating to WLAN. In relation to area and size of population, Austria has the world¹s most dense public WLAN network. The list of international top hotspot cities is led by Vienna, New York and Taipei (source: Intel). "WLAN is suitable for broadband internet access within an area with strict local limits and is a good addition to the services we offer via GPRS and in the future via UMTS where the technology only serves as an enabler for semi-mobile customer-focused applications. Our objective is worldwide use of our services via all technologies but with just one SIM card," says Pölzl taking a look into the future.

    The WLAN growth market

    According to experts, the European WLAN market is about to take off. An analysis undertaken by the international business consultants, Frost & Sullivan, predicts rapid growth over the next few years and what can only be termed as an explosion in turnover. By the end of 2006, they predict that turnover from user charges will exceed the one billion Euro mark. In parallel to this, we will see the development of the WLAN chip market: market research undertaken by the International Data Corp. is expecting this sector is almost double by 2007. Turnover from WLAN networks will grow correspondingly. In 2002, this already reached an increase of 120 percent. One of the main features here is dynamism on the US market which has developed slightly earlier and faster than the European market.

    HotSpot from T-Mobile Austria

    The WLAN range of services from T-Mobile Austria is also available to users who are not T-Mobile customers. Customer with the necessary equipment (laptop with WLAN card or WLAN chip) can simply settle their usage periods by credit card. 1 hour of online time costs Euro 7.95, 3 hours costs Euro 15.95 and users are charged Euro 24.95 for 24 hours. In addition to this, T-Mobile Austria customers can request their HotSpot access data via SMS by simply sending the text ³Open² to 8509526. Charging intervals for this service are 15 minutes long and cost Euro 1.99 but are currently free for T-Mobile customers. Once this free testing campaign has ended, charges will be processed on the standard T-Mobile bill. Work is also progressing into international roaming tariffs.

By Robert Hoskins

Click here for more 802.11 News