[CUWiN-Dev] NYT Article on Multi-Gateway Wireless Solutions:

[Sascha Meinrath]

Very interesting developments (especially the UCSD lab) from today's New York 
Times.  Anyone have any contacts with the folks cited?  I'm planning to contact 
people to see about collaborating.

--Sascha

***

From:  http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/16/technology/16mushroom.html

January 16, 2006
Sharing Broadband to Increase Speed
By JOHN MARKOFF

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 15 - Two West Coast start-up companies have built new 
wireless technologies that take to heart Benjamin Franklin's exhortation to hang 
together rather than hang separately.

Both Mushroom Networks, which was started at the University of California, San 
Diego, and WiBoost Inc., based in Seattle, have built prototypes of simple 
wireless systems that make it possible for groups of neighbors to share their 
D.S.L. or cable Internet connections.

Both companies said that sharing high-speed lines might enable users in small 
neighborhood clusters to download files and Web pages up to 10 times faster.

The two companies, which developed their technologies separately, are taking 
slightly different approaches. But in both cases, neighbors would be able to 
connect relatively standard wireless routers that would permit their computers 
to receive data in parallel from multiple D.S.L. or cable network connections. 
The idea is similar to adding lanes to a freeway to improve traffic flow.

WiBoost, which is also the name of the company's technology system, now requires 
an antenna mounted outside the home. The company is exploring ways to license 
its technology to manufacturers and hopes to make WiBoost devices available for 
$200 to $300. In flat areas with minimal obstructions, the system might be able 
to link homes separated by several miles, with do-it-yourself installation.

Mushroom Networks is conducting trials using a device called an access point 
aggregator that is similar to a conventional home Wi-Fi router. It is intended 
to be used to connect homes or businesses that are closer together.

In principle, these technologies could work for a large group of neighbors, even 
with just a few Internet access points. That capacity - which could reduce the 
cost of Internet access considerably for its users - could, however, create 
substantial opposition from Internet service providers. Many of them are 
vigilant about restricting the sharing of individual network access points.

Both companies said they were going to great lengths to assure service providers 
that they did not plan to become bandwidth Napsters, a reference to the music 
file-sharing company that raised havoc with the audio recording industry.

The idea of linking several Internet data channels for greater speed is not a 
new one, but exploring a consumer application for the technology is a fresh 
notion, said Rene L. Cruz, a University of California computer scientist and 
founder of Mushroom Networks.

"We're pretty excited about the concept," he said. "We're looking for validation 
and we're looking for market demand."

The technology has merits, said George Henny, the president of Whidbey Telecom, 
an independent telecommunications firm based on Whidbey Island, Wash.

"There is an interesting potential for this technology," he said, "and it would 
be fun to put it in place."

The concept is related to the concept of wireless mesh networking, a technique 
that is used to extend Wi-Fi and related wireless networking standards over 
large areas by relaying Internet data among wireless receivers.

In this use, the two firms are exploiting the fact that most computer networks 
are used in an irregular or "bursty" fashion. Even though large numbers of users 
download e-mail, Web pages or music and video files, most of the time the 
networks sit idle, waiting for a computer user to strike a key or issue a command.

The capacity utilization rates of modern data networks have long been known to 
be remarkably low.

"Our studies show that, averaged across all users, the utilization is less than 
1 percent of the total capacity," said James Baker, president of WiBoost.

Telephone companies may oversubscribe the capacity of their D.S.L. lines by an 
average of 14 to 20 times, said Mr. Cruz, and some researchers estimate that 
rate to be as high as 200 to 1. But because the networks are so underutilized, 
they can be used efficiently despite substantial oversubscription.

Neither Mr. Cruz nor Mr. Baker is certain of receiving the blessing of Internet 
service providers, which often go to great lengths to prohibit their customers 
from sharing service with others.

"We don't want freeloaders," said Mr. Baker. "We don't want the perception that 
it might be something that the I.S.P. might not like."

Both companies have approached Internet providers to discuss their ideas, and 
they said they had received some indications of interest.

One selling point stressed by both companies is that the technology is a simple 
way for D.S.L. providers to match the higher bandwidth offered by cable companies.

Moreover, the technology could be used as a "viral" marketing technique by 
Internet service providers if existing customers persuaded neighbors to sign up 
for service to take advantage of the wireless accelerator.


-- 
Sascha Meinrath
Policy Analyst    *  Project Coordinator  *  President
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