Eric Griffin reports on 802.11 Planet.com (linked at left) that hereUare Communications is for sale. hUa is a "back-end" service provider for independent operators of wireless hot spots. Using hUa's authentication and billing services; setting up a wireless hot spot could be as easy as ordering a DSL line, plugging in an access point, and waiting for the checks to come rolling in. Hot spot users would see a co-branded hUa web page for payment or authentication, and hUa would pay the hot spot owner monthly. Of course, it could never be that literally simple, but hUa removed a lot of the pain of setting up a hot spot.
hereUare was a great idea, and I recommended its service to a number of people. I saw vast potential in hUa's services for "Internet co-ops" such as Wireless Neighborhood Area Networks constructed by a homeowner's association which would not want to be in the messy business of collecting payment for Internet service. Far better, in my opinion, to outsource such tasks to companies like hereUare, let them be "the bad guy if someone doesn't pay their bill.
Unfortunately, the reports I received back as a result of those recommendations were fairly negative, with complaints such as hUa didn't follow up on serious inquiries and had no standardized rates.
It seems likely that hereUare will be acquired at least in some form. Its Electronic Coinbox technology was innovative and I'm currently unaware of any other vendor having made inroads of at least some 802.11b access point vendors as hUa was able to do. One logical potential buyer is Boingo Wireless, which as a partner knows hereUare quite well.
A development I see as inevitable is the formation of a franchise-like operation to set up wireless hot spots. The franchise would:
- Business plans
- Offer pre-selected hardware packages for wireless hot spots (indoor) and wireless hot zones (outdoor)
- Offer pre-arranged prices on backhaul bandwidth; for example with a national provider of business-class DSL services
- Offer aggregated billing services and roaming agreements with companies like hereUare Communications
- Technical support
I'm convinced that such a franchise will happen and that wireless hot spots will become ubiquitous.
Doonesbury on Home Wireless Networks
I've been a fan of Garry Trudeau's Doonesbury "comic strip" (following on the trend to call comic books "graphic novels", I'd call Doonesbury a "graphic editorial") since the mid-70's. Though I rarely pick up a Sunday newspaper these days, when I do, Doonesbury is, of course, a must-read. The Sunday, July 21, 2002 installment was about home wireless network. It was gratifying to see Trudeau got it right on so many points, such as "wardriving", homeowners not bothering to activate built-in security measures (Listen, you might want to check out your daughter's e-mail). Nicely done, Garry!
1:38:54 PM 
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