Schools, Hospitals Go Wireless

May 9th, 2007

SBC Communications this week unveiled managed Wi-Fi services for schools
and hospitals to enable those institutions to converge voice and data traffic
onto a single wireless network.

The new services support wireless phones and wireless data connectivity
on a single network within SBC’s 13-state territory. Previously, SBC’s wireless
data and voice offerings were provisioned from two separate networks.

SBC says the converged network will enhance the security and efficiency
of wireless communications for educational and medical institutions.

The packages use the IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi standards,
offering users
mobility while they are connected to their voice and data
network, the Internet, and the public telecommunications network through
wireless connection points. RBOCs are increasingly rolling out Wi-Fi
services–Verizon Communications, for example, plans to transform 1,000
New York City
payphones into Wi-Fi access points, or “hotspots,” by the end
of the year.

SBC, citing data from EduVentures, a U.S. educational consulting firm,
said more than 110,000 public schools combined spend nearly $6.2 billion a year
on technology. Of that, about $500 million is spent on wireless technologies,
but that is expected to quadruple by next year, SBC says.

U.S. hospitals will spend nearly $295 million on wireless LAN
technologies by 2005, SBC says, citing data from Frost and Sullivan.

SBC’s new WLAN services are the latest components of the RBOC’s
PremierSERV managed service offerings. They are based on Cisco’s Aironet WLAN
equipment, combined with SBC transport service and management, and SpectraLink
NetLink wireless telephones.

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