mobilestar network: a wired, wireless, broadband world

March, 2001.
By Molly E. Holzschlag. (Link to original article.)

He stomped around looking for somewhere to jack in. It was bad enough his plane was delayed, but now he couldn't find an outgoing line for his modem. No doubt his weekly reports were late, his emails backlogged, and the Web site changes held up.

I watched him from a comfy chair in the Admiral's club at San Francisco International Airport. I had a nice cup of coffee, a little snack, and smokin' T1 access with which to write my reports, answer my email, and fix a problem with WebReview.com. But I felt his pain. I'd been there before—traveling through airports with uncomfortable pounds of computer equipment while attempting to get some work done as well.

Thanks to the courteous folks at MobileStar, I was able to pass this occasion comfortably. No search for modem access, no unraveling of phone wires. I simply installed a wireless card into my Vaio's PCMCIA slot, booted up, and in under two minutes I had wireless T1 access.

Mobilestar technology

Until you've felt the speed and consistency of LAN-based wireless broadband delivery, you might be somewhat skeptical as to its power. Typically, standard wireless connectivity suffers from latency and interference—just like using your mobile phone in the Bay Area. But the difference with MobileStar technology is that it uses a local network rather than a cellular one.

Here's how it works. MobileStar places radio devices throughout a specifically designated location, such as a hotel, a restaurant, or an airport lounge. A wireless signal is then transmitted to the wireless card in the user's computer. MobileStar offers connectivity via two types of radio technology: OpenAir (FH) technology, and 802.11b (DS) technology.

OpenAir, also known as Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS), literally hops from frequency to frequency within radio signals. The idea with FHSS is to create a smooth connection between transmitter and receiver while simultaneously avoiding radio interference. The rapid speed of the frequency hopping keeps the signal smooth. Should interference be encountered, the system automatically hops to another frequency.

802.11b is a Direct Sequence (DS) system. This type of system encodes data with a specialized encoding pattern. It's this pattern that's sent over the wireless network. The specialized encoding is much more detailed than standard binary data—purposely complex so if interference should be encountered during transmission, no real data will be lost because the receiver can reconstruct the original binary information.

What's it to ya?

For those of us who find ourselves in airports more than our offices, in hotel rooms more than our own bedrooms, and in restaurants and cafes more than 'round the family dining table, wireless T1 access is a dream.

Whether it's simply to keep up with email or work directly on Web projects, wireless broadband is an enabling technology for Web designers and developers. It offers secure data encryption, and does nothing to interfere with any firewalls your company has in place. What's more, you can easily access a Virtual Private Network using the technology. These options ensure you have the connectivity you require.

Another advantage of MobileStar is that it's not OS specific. As long as you've got a laptop or handheld equipped with a browser, a wireless card and any necessary drivers, you've got all the hardware and software you need. Of course, you also need an account on the system, which MobileStar makes available to you via fairly cost-effective options ranging from as low as $2.50 plus usage, to $59.95 unlimited access.

I found the installation process to be incredibly simple. The only small problem I encountered had to do with the account set-up and not the technology. MobileStar also boasts very good customer service.

Mobility is beautiful, but is it bountiful?

By spreading the gospel of secure wireless broadband, MobileStar is giving the mobile business world a great leg up on productivity and efficiency. But while I enjoyed my easy T1 access in the Admiral's club, the fact of the matter is that the mobile user must have direct access to the provider's LAN. Without that access, the point is moot. If you've got no access to the limited locations, or you're simply not on the road that much, this service is more of a promise of the future rather than a tool for today.

MobileStar, however, is very busy at work building wireless LANs in specific locations attractive to the mobile Internet user. In fact, back in January, MobileStar announced a strategic partnership with Microsoft and Starbucks to provide Starbucks customers with wireless access at a wide selection of Starbucks locations. Combine Microsoft's .NET technology, MSN content, a smokin' fast wireless LAN from MobileStar, and Starbucks' hospitality, and you'll be more productive than a speeding bullet.

A LAN-based wireless solution provider is not—by virtue of its reliance on location—a reasonable service choice at this time for the fairly home- and office-bound. But for those of us on the move with access to current locations, MobileStar is a great way to enhance our ability to get our jobs done despite airport delays and slow modem connections in hotels. I can envision MobileStar's Starbucks implementation as being a student's dream or a nice break for cube-based workers. You can get out of the dorm or the office for a bit and still get the work done. All that, and a venti coffee-of-the-day, too.

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Product info

MobileStar is the largest provider of broadband wireless. Using LAN-based radio networks, users log in at T1 speed. While limited in scope due to its location-based technology, MobileStar provides a taste of the highly mobile, wireless world to come.

Home page:

www.mobilestar.com

Hardware requirements:

Wireless phone, pager, or PDA; or laptop computer with wireless PCMCIA card.

Software requirements:

Any OS, necessary wireless PCMCIA card drivers, and a Web browser.

Price:

Varies by plan, with a monthly unlimited access at $59.95 U.S.

Locations:

Currently U.S. only with plans to expand internationally. Selected hotels within major chains such as Hilton and Sheraton across the U.S.; many American Airlines Admiral's club lounges; select convention centers; restaurants and cafes.