waldek.usa
28.08.03, 15:32
Why, I've never quite understood. Its people are chiefly criticized for being
too nice, of all things, and as cultural staples go, you couldn't hope to do
much better than ice hockey and cold beer. Besides, any country that's given
the world Neil Young, Maurice "Rocket" Richard and the Kids in the Hall
certainly deserves more than a little respect.
A recent announcement from Canada's four major wireless carriers should merit
your respect and attention as well. Last week, Bell Mobility, Microcell
Solutions, Rogers AT&T Wireless and Telus Mobility agreed to create a common
Wi-Fi access standard for their 12 million collective subscribers. Under the
terms of the pact, subscribers will be able to access Wi-Fi service at hot
spots owned by any of the four carriers, with the user's regular carrier
collecting revenues from the time spent online. According to the Canadian
Wireless Telecommunications Association, the development of a common Wi-Fi
standard will not only eliminate redundant authentication and billing
systems, but create a simpler, more consistent user experience as well. One
more thing: They're going to do it all by 2004.
It's an idea so ridiculously simple that it borders on genius. Everyone wins
here, carriers and consumers alike. Because they're not sharing revenues,
carriers still have every incentive to pursue customers, deliver quality
service and build out their Wi-Fi networks with the same intensity as before.
Moreover, interoperability is a lock to bring new Wi-Fi users into the fold,
and increase the time existing subscribers spend online. Consider that in
April 2002, the same four Canadian carriers agreed on intercarrier SMS
standards, and according to the CWTA, the volume of text messages grew 98%
over the remainder of the calendar year alone. And customers themselves will
be the beneficiaries of this competitive but unified environment, enjoying
increased and improved access to the wireless Internet regardless of carrier
affiliation.
In effect, Canada's wireless carriers are working towards a common goal,
building an interoperable national Wi-Fi network that's destined to attract a
lot more subscribers than, say, a disjointed patchwork of hot spots all
controlled by different carriers and service providers--you know, the way it
is here in the U.S., where the wireless industry agrees on little but to
disagree. Maybe there's something to be said for being so "nice." If nothing
else, it teaches you how to play well with others--and sometimes, the nice
guys even finish first.
