Mobile Wireless
The future of mobile wireless

Another important trend for the future of wireless products is hot spots. A hot spot is a location where a WLAN is publicly accessible. An airport lounge or a coffee shop, as shown in Figure , are two examples of hot spots. This trend will facilitate the integration of WLANs and the mobile WAN.

T-Mobile and AT&T are two wireless carriers that have begun offering Wi-Fi services as higher-speed complements to their mobile services in airports, hotels, and coffee shops. These services will become more widespread as mobile carriers buy or collaborate with Wi-Fi-focused companies.

In addition to offering higher-speeds, future products may include a unit that acts like a cordless phone when the user is close to the office, switches to a WLAN elsewhere on the corporate campus, and passes seamlessly to a broadband cellular network when the user moves outdoors. Such dual-band and tri-band products are starting to emerge as NICs and chips. These will enable users to connect to the best wireless network connection available. Special software will control handoffs among Wi-Fi networks and mobile WAN network services. Roaming users will not have to change configurations, logons, IDs, or passwords to retain connections and application sessions.

Cell Phone or Wallet?
Another possibility is an application that turns a handset into a type of wallet. At least one company is working on a lens that will allow the infrared beam found in some handheld devices to transmit across longer distances without accurate aiming. This will enable users to point their cell phone and pay for purchases made at various locations, such as a fast-food drive-through window, a supermarket, or a vending machine.


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