Keeping in touch with the office or with family while on the road just got easier for travellers to Long Beach, Calif. Now passengers at the Long Beach Airport can connect to the Internet for free, courtesy of a new Airport Hot Zone. Unlike other wireless “hot spots,” which typically require monthly or per-minute access fees, the Long Beach Airport provides the high-speed access at no charge.
Thanks to a wireless network with wireless access points from Intermec Technologies Corp., anyone with a laptop or Microsoft Windows Pocket PC-equipped personal digital assistant with an 802.11b wireless radio card can access the Internet while at the airport. The weather-proof Intermec MobileLAN WA21 wireless access points, based on the Wi-Fi™ 802.11b networking standard, provide a broadband connection to a centrally located switch at speeds up to 11Mbps. In comparison, an average dial-up connection runs at approximately 54Kbps.
In January, Intermec collaborated with the city to launch a similar Hot Zone along Pine Avenue, an area of restaurants and retail shops popular with local residents and business travelers. That project received national attention as one of the first free wireless Internet access zones sponsored by a municipality.
To access the system, users simply open their Internet browser, which will automatically load a portal site for Long Beach’s Airport Hot Zone. Users then can check e-mail, download files or just surf, all at speeds up to 50 times faster than with a standard dial-up connection. The Hot Zone, which can accommodate hundreds of simultaneous users, encompasses the entire airport, including passenger lounges, waiting areas and the airport restaurant. Future plans include extending the wireless network to the convention centre and marina area.
The wireless network is designed to allow users to roam throughout the airport without losing connectivity. For example, a user may be downloading a presentation while waiting to check in for a flight. With the network’s roaming capability, there’s no need to wait for the file transfer to be complete before heading down the hall to the gate area or upstairs to the restaurant. To ensure this seamless coverage, Intermec conducted a site survey to determine optimum placement for the access points and antennas to maximize the range and speed of the network.
“We wanted to make sure that we provided easy, hassle-free connectivity with no gaps or dead spots,” said Chet Yoshizaki, manager, Economic Development Bureau, City of Long Beach. “Intermec’s expertise in wireless network design was one of the keys to making that happen. And since the WA21 is designed to withstand harsh environments, we know people will be able to rely on the wireless network even on the rare days when it rains in Long Beach.”
“Intermec has 20 years’ experience designing and installing mission-critical wireless networks for high-traffic outdoor and industrial environments,” said Pam Cory, Intermec vice president of systems marketing. “Now public wireless network access is becoming a ‘Main Street’ phenomenon. Providing comprehensive wireless coverage at the Long Beach airport is another step in extending this exciting vision. Intermec is proud to have been selected by the city of Long Beachto help it fulfil its mission of providing technology services that business travelers and visitors will appreciate most.”
To view the portal site from outside the Hot Zone, visit http://www.longbeachportals.com.
About Intermec
Intermec Technologies Corp., a UNOVA Inc. (NYSE:UNA) company, is a leader in global supply chain solutions and in the development, manufacture and integration of wired and wireless automated data collection, Intellitag® RFID (radio frequency identification), mobile computing systems, bar code printers and label media. The company’s products and services are used by customers in many industries to improve productivity, quality and responsiveness of business operations, from supply chain management and enterprise resource planning to field sales and service. For information about Intermec, visit http://www.intermec.com.
To learn more about how companies can benefit from Intermec’s technologies and services, contact Intermec Technologies Corp., 6001 36th Ave. West, Everett, WA 98203 USA; telephone 800-347-2636; or visit Intermec's web site at http://www.intermec.com. To learn more about UNOVA, visit http://www.unova.com.
