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21 Jan 2010

The Massachusetts Port Authority Board has voted to allow free WiFi for travelers at the Boston Logan International Airport.

"One of the most frequently asked questions from our customers is: ‘Why don’t you have free WiFi at Logan?’ said Thomas J. Kinton Jr., CEO & Executive Director of Massport. "Well, we are pleased to be able to now say ‘We do!’ "

Boston-Logan

A secure WiFi system was installed through out the airport six years ago at a cost of several million dollars. The charge of $7.95 for the service allowed the investment to be recovered. For the next two years, Massport will continue its partnership with service provider, Advanced Wireless Group, and the free WiFi will be supported by advertising and sponsorship programs.

During the two month period when free WiFi was available as part of a Google sponsorship, use of the network increased nearly six-fold. Users who did not subscribe to a roaming service viewed a Google promotional page be fore accessing the Internet. Under the new system, roaming subscribers will get access and those using the free service will view advertising before accessing the Internet.

Related Articles:

>Google And Virgin America To Offer Free WiFi During The Holidays

>American Expands In-Flight Internet Service

>Google Offering Free Wi-Fi In Airports During The Holidays

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Broadband Users Less Likely To Abandon Job Search

In: web resources

21 Jan 2010

Americans who use the Internet are more likely to continue active job searches and less likely to drop out of the labor force than those without Internet access, especially among those who user broadband services, according to a new study by the Phoenix Center.

The study found broadband Internet users are at east 50 percent less likely to give up on job searches because of discouragement than those who do not use the Internet. Dial-up Internet users are about one – third less likely to drop out of the labor force.

Lawrence-Spiwak

"By connecting Americans to jobs and information about job opportunities, Internet usage feeds hope and encourages frustrated workers to keep on looking even when job prospects are dim," according to Phoenix Center President Lawrence J. Spiwak. "These findings suggest that broadband connectivity can contribute to economic recovery."

"Our study also shows the enormous potential benefit of community broadband centers for those who are not connected at home," Spiwak adds. "While broadband use at home delivers significant benefits, shared facilities can be a valuable solution to connectivity gaps in unserved and underserved communities."

The Phoenix Center says the new study provides insights to policymakers at a time when unemployment is high, with government estimates suggesting the unemployment rate, when broadly defined, now exceeds 17%. In fact, large numbers of Americans have given up looking for jobs because they think none are available.

The U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is responsible for the government’s monthly data on employment and unemployment, estimates that adding "discouraged workers," as defined by the Bureau, who had quit looking for work as of December 2009, would boost the current U.S. jobless rate above the frequently reported 10 percent level.

Related Articles:

> Open Internet Heavily Promoted at CES

> Internet’s Possible Future in the US Gets Ready to Be Decided

> FCC’s Net Neutrality Site Gets a Blog

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Tags: broadband, bureau of labor statistics, Internet, job, phoenix center, President Lawrence J, quot, quot quot, Study, U.S., U.S. Labor, underserved communities, unemployment estimates, US

Chinese Premier Talks Up Internet of Things

In: web resources

20 Jan 2010

In the last quarter of 2009, a number of significant public speeches were made about Internet of Things in China. It started on August 7, when Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made a speech in the city of Wuxi calling for the rapid development of Internet of Things technologies. It included this equation: Internet + Internet of Things = Wisdom of the Earth. Wen Jiabo followed up with a speech on November 3 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, in which he encouraged breakthroughs in key technologies for sensor networks and the Internet of Things.

When was the last time you heard President Obama talking about Internet of Things? The Chinese Premier has made it a regular part of his speeches and interviews.

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That’s not to say that the U.S. isn’t doing anything. As Pat Burns noted in his excellent 2009 year in review of wireless sensor networks, the U.S. Department of Defence has already invested heavily in Internet of Things technologies. But China is poised to make rapid growth in this area in 2010.

Here’s an excerpt from an interview Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao did with the Xinhua News Agency at the end of December:

"This concept [of Internet of Things] first came to my mind when I talked with a group of young researchers who returned to China after their overseas studies,” Wen said, referring to those he met during his inspection tour to east China’s Jiangsu Province in November.

“I learned Internet of Things is a network that can be applied to infrastructure and services. The program will have a rosy prospect,” Wen said.

According to Internet of Things, when objects ranging from books to airplanes are equipped with minuscule identifying devices, they can be identified and managed through computer networks.

Internet of Things was one example Premier Wen cited while outlining the country’s initiatives to foster new growth areas, especially in emerging strategic industries."

This would be the equivalent of President Obama talking directly about the Internet of Things to the Washington Post or New York Times. It’s significant that China is putting such high level emphasis on a set of technologies that many techies in the Western world still consider very early stage.

What then can we expect from China this year in Internet of Things? According to Chinese consulting firm CCID Consulting, in 2010 China will push forward with major policy initiatives. Chinese government departments will introduce "relevant industry support policies to speed up the development of China’s Internet of Things industry." At the same time, Chinese provinces, municipalities and industrial parks will release supporting policies. Jiangsu Province and Beijing will be the pacesetters, according to CCID Consulting.

In a follow-up post, we’ll explore some practical examples of China’s current focus on Internet of Things.

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