Broadband on the Run: Wireless Internet Access for Travelers

Texas-based Wayport says that the bandwidth shortfall at hotels can be traced to the 1.6-mbps hookup between the hotels' base stations and Wayport's servers. At airports, Wayport says, speeds depend on the number of users online, the location, and other network- overhead issues. Wireless ethernet cards from vendors such as Lucent and 3Com start at about $170. Wayport charges by the "connection"--a customer's use from first log-on until midnight of the same day. In hotels, Wayport fees usually run from $8 to $10 per connection, which can be added to your hotel bill. The company also plans to offer packages of ten connections for $35. Through the end of the year, Wayport is offering a special deal that provides for up to 50 connections at no cost. The price doesn't seem to frighten fans of the Wayport system. Jeff Eller, managing director of the Austin-based corporate public affairs firm Public Strategies, says that in an airport with Wayport service he can turn flight delays into productive work time. "I had a layover at Dallas-Fort Worth and got a tremendous amount of work done," Eller says. "It's just like being in the office." Currently, Wayport's system operates in approximately 150 hotels and in two Texas airports, but the company plans to expand service soon to airports in California, New York, and Washington state, as well as to a total of 600 hotels. In coming years, Wayport hopes to offer its service in coffee shops and bistros.