The mobile Internet is on Wi-Fi

You couldn't miss the iPhone this month, and guess what-that is really good for city-wide Wi-Fi.

I spent last weekend using my new iPhone in Mt View, Milpitas and Palo Alto and I predict that this device will significantly increase the demand for ubiquitous Wi-Fi and for other mobile devices that connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi.
First, the device presents a magnificent web browsing experience, from the high-resolution screen to the full-function Safari browser to the "finger-swipe" touch screen navigation features.It makes you want to take the Web everywhere.
Second, the iPhone handles Wi-Fi association and authentication better than any device I have ever seen. It auto-configures to most APs and only asks you for information if it absolutely must (eg, passwords).

Third, it illustrates so clearly the speed advantage of Wi-Fi vs cellular data. The most obvious comparison is to EDGE, since that is the cellular data technology the iPhone uses. However, as a last-resort EV-DO user I can attest that Wi-Fi is a ton faster than that, too.
The iPhone is a great web-surfing device, a great video iPod (I love the bigger screen and the on-board speakers), a good email platform (if you don't need to tie into an Enterprise server) and an ok phone. It offers the promise of running many OS-X applications and the liberation of not being tied to AT&T's limited "hand-picked" deck of mobile applications.

Bottom-line, in the next year there will be 10M iPhones out there looking for Wi-Fi wherever they can get it. Functionality will only get better and applications richer. The iPhone will also drive other device developers to match its functionality and speed. So, there may be 30-40M iPhone-like devices looking for Wi-Fi wherever they can get it in the next year. That, friend, is good for the muni Wi-Fi market indeed.
The mobile Internet is here. The mobile Internet is on Wi-Fi.

Ron Sege
President and CEO
Tropos Networks