Is a free global Wi-Fi network possible?
WeFi is hoping to do for
Wi-Fi connectivity what Facebook has done for social networking.
WeFi, a software company headquartered in Fairfax, Va., and in Tel Aviv, Israel,
creates
software that can be downloaded for free onto laptops or mobile devices
that the company says will enhance Wi-Fi connectivity and provide mobile devices
with more powerful connection tools.
Once the software is installed, it begins searching for Wi-Fi hot spots in
a user's area and allows them to map all the hot spots in their vicinity through
the Google Maps application.
The eventual goal, WeFi says, is to create a global map of wireless hot spots
that can be used as a reference for members of the WeFi community who want to
find Internet access in new locations. In this Q&A with WeFi CEO Zur Feldman,
we discuss how WeFi works, how it enables Wi-Fi connectivity, and how the company
plans to make money from creating a virtual global Wi-Fi network.
What is WeFi's end goal?
We basically want to provide and create a virtual global network which is free
to allow everyone to get on whenever they choose and to have a service of broadband
through Wi-Fi all over world. We want people to be able to use that platform
to communicate with friends, and to use applications such as voice to connect
with people all over the place without needing to pay any kinds of fees. In
short, the end goal is to create a global virtual network based on Wi-Fi.
And how does WeFi plan on creating that network?
We're providing a technological platform that allows people to take advantage
of hot spots around world. We have mapped close to 300,000 hot spots around
the world, and we're adding more every single day. We also have a platform for
mobile devices that have ability to connect to Wi-Fi, including the iPhone and
the Nokia E65. Our software allows them to use the hot spots as their network.
I want to get a better idea of how this technology works. Essentially, people
download software from your Web site that increases their computers' or wireless
devices' ability to find and connect to Wi-Fi hot spots in the area, correct?
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