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The accessibility of high-speed broadband will drive equipment revenue over the next few years. This will give a boost to Internet telephony service and that growth will continue as broadband access revenue triples in future years.

As the move to wireless, voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) and cable telephony continues, the landline market will increase from $391 billion in 2004 to $422 billion in 2008.

Internationally Europe is expected to be the largest region in support services spending, reaching $354 billion by 2008 as the demand for equipment increases there will be increased demand for services to support that equipment.

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In the United States the broadband market is expected to reach an estimated 56.9 million subscribers by 2008. That up from 32.5 million subscribers in 2004. The broadband market has had a huge move since 2001, when there were only 5.1 million subscribers.

Broadband's faster speeds are behind the increasing demand for cable modem and DSL providers. Telephone companies are offering more bundled DSL services and cable operators are losing subscribers to direct broadcast satellite. The gap between the number cable and DSL subscribers is narrowing and will continue to decrease.

In addition, there is plenty going on with wireless communications. The U.S. wireless market includes transport services, handsets, capital expenditures and infrastructure equipment including Wi-Fi equipment plus the emerging market for wireless broadband access. The future of VoIP technology and wireless VoIP promises to be one of the most exciting developments in telecommunications.

Not counting PC-to-PC services, the number of residential VoIP customers more than tripled to 4.2 million in 2005. That number is expected to grow by a compound annual rate of over 43% in the next few years. That will result in about 18 million VoIP users.

Growth in the residential VoIP market is being driven by a number of factors. First and foremost is that VoIP telephony provides consumers with inexpensive voice communications. VoIP escapes the burden of the many regulations and taxes governments have imposed on traditional telephone services. So far that has allowed the VoIP service providers to beat the prices charged for wired telephone services. The burst of growth in broadband subscribership is a good sign for VoIP, because it works best over a broadband connection,

In the United States and around the world, people are talking and they want to do that with speed and economy. VoIP phone services are prepared to meet that need.

If you have not yet made the switch to VoIP telephone service author Mark Walters offers a free introduction called Five Reasons for VoIP.

That was then, and now it's today. What was important and functional yesterday may not be the case tomorrow. There has been exponential change in relation to the calendar, in the field of communications technology advancement. What I mean by that is that the changes that have taken place over the past year or two have been far greater than the changes over the past decade, which in turn have been far greater than the changes over the past 20 years.

The common thread among the terms above is that they either relate to wireless or internet technologies, or both. The technology advances, and public acceptance of those new technologies in the year 2005, have been astounding. It would follow logic that the same will continue to happen in 2006.

So let's examine the recent past a little more closely to see how our behavior has been affected. John Campbell, a Telecom Consultant with Schooley Mitchell in Halifax wrote an article for The Nova Scotia Business Journal that described the experience of a Marketing VP. She was booking a trip through her travel agent and made a specific request for 'hot spots'. As little as three years ago that probably would have meant the best beaches, bars, and restaurants. However, she was requesting the hotels where she could access the Internet through her laptop using wireless technology.

Whether it's toll booth passes, debit transactions at the gas station, or courier package delivery, the wireless world is upon us.

Consistent with evolutionary theory, teenagers have sprouted a new appendage. It's a wireless device referred to as a cell phone. Except that cell phone isn't for conversations in emergencies. It's for text messages, playing MP3s, and downloading videos - and of course, you simply can't be without one if you're under 25.

In other developments, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has gained wide acceptance evidenced by the wide myriad of vendors that have entered that marketplace to carve out a piece of the market share pie. The variant flavors and options available in the world of VoIP seem to be increasing everyday, to the point where it's very difficult for the average business person to determine whether they should or shouldn't, and if they do, which option do they choose.

Campbell mentions Advanced Call Routing, Unified Messaging, and long distance toll bypass as some advantages of VoIP. The Follow-Me feature makes it transparent to the caller in terms of whether the call is connecting to a conference room in Orlando, a hotel room in Vancouver, or a cottage on the Great Lakes.

Increased Internet functionality, including Intranet, Extranet, Enterprisenet, and more, are all variations of Internet business applications that have become widespread in the recent past to serve the needs of global economies. More and more 'hosted applications' are being developed, which means that you can work on the same General Ledger or Contact Management Database in Salt Lake City and Singapore at the same time. In fact, in a book titled 'The World is Flat - A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century', Thomas L. Friedman talks about the widespread changes to world economies based on technological advancements.

Friedman's message centers around the fact that web-enabled and wireless technologies are 'flattening' the world so that basic business services such as call centers, back room accounting, and HR department management can be provided from India or China, just as easily as Pittsburgh. Restaurant reservations, income tax returns, and flower deliveries will actually be completed through Shanghai or Bangladesh, as opposed to Boston or Toronto.

His message is not one of dire straits, although it does carry a warning that we need to be prepared, and educated to adapt to the inevitable changes that a 'flat' world will bring. Instead, the message is one of changing opportunities, and better efficiencies, if the reality is accepted, and the reaction is proper.

So, where are we going? Well, those teenagers will be watching TV on their cell phones next year on a regular basis. Actually, my prediction is that the term cell phone will disappear over the next few years because of the vast number of functions that will be available through a wireless device that will be portable. Telephone calls will be just a minor part of the mix.

At a recent presentation I attended that was hosted by the Gartner Group, the predictions included the ability to take temperature and heart rate with the wireless device that will soon be on the shelves, and therefore attached to your belt. Diabetics will be able to monitor blood sugar. You will be able to read bar codes, and check out right in the store, including the monetary transaction. Your earpiece will talk to you to tell you to turn left so you don't get lost as you drive through the city. I don't think the device will make your lunch or tie your shoes just yet, but perhaps I need to open my mind.

At a recent Conference for Schooley Mitchell Telecom Consultants, Mikko Salminen of Nokia in Finland made a presentation describing the migration of businesses to wireless devices as opposed to the desk phones everyone has been using since telephone invention. The statistics from around the world are astounding, but that's the subject of another article. Suffice it to say that businesses will benefit from the ability of their people to communicate with customers, vendors, and coworkers without having proximity to their desk.

Yes, it's a brave new world. In order to prosper, we must heed the message that no man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience. In other words, embracing new technologies, and accepting 'flatness' will lead to opportunity. Opportunity, like oxygen must continually be exchanged. Once oxygen is taken into your lungs it turns to carbon dioxide. So as oxygen is the fuel of the body but has a limited life, opportunity is the fuel of success and future achievement. However, opportunity must be used before it turns to the metaphorical carbon dioxide.

So the message is to accept that these changes are upon us. The world will continue to develop more and more Internet applications to make the rudimentary parts of life easier to manage. Wireless applications will continue to develop and will astound us in terms of what can be achieved. And the world will be 'flatter'. If that's a problem it's also an opportunity.

Maybe it's an even bigger opportunity than an economic one for those wise enough to take advantage of the fluid and changing environment. One of Friedman's tenets is that as the world supply chains become more intermingled and interdependent based on these technology advances, then the likelihood to war with each other will become less. If companies are dependent on companies in other countries to provide accounting functions, HR management, and day-to-day services, then it will be an encourager to work it out, instead of shoot it out. Now that's a nice thought.

To receive a free copy of an E-Book titled 'Franchise Opportunity - Making The Right Decision' by Dennis Schooley, email that request to corp@schooleymitchell.com.

About the Author

Dennis Schooley is the Founder of Schooley Mitchell Telecom Consultants, a Professional Services Franchise Company. He writes for publication, as well as for schooleymitchell.blogging.com and franchises.blogging.com, in the subject areas of Franchising, and Technology for the Layman. http://www.schooleymitchell.com, 888-311-6477, dschooley@schooleymitchell.com.

WILIBOX ports embedded Linux wireless platform with enterprise and telecom grade feature set to a widely available 802.11 hardware platforms

Kaunas, Lithuania - November 23, 2005 - WILIBOX, embedded Linux and IEEE 802.11 specialists ported the embedded Linux software platform WILI-S to an affordable 802.11 hardware platform based on Atheros System on Chip.

The combination of highly functional WILI-S software platform and industry standard mass produced hardware opens new horizons for the wide deployment of 802.11 networks implementing functions and network structures earlier available only on expensive enterprise and carrier grade wireless devices and pushing enterprise/carrier grade wireless networking equipment street price to sub $100 level.

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The Demo version of WILI-S for Atheros AR2313 chipset based on Wistron Neweb CA8-1, CA8-4 802.11 a/g hardware is available for download and evaluation on www.wilibox.com site. The evaluation guide provides information for quick evaluation of WILI-S functionality on CA8-4/1 including step-by-step instructions on how to upload WILI-S and how to backup and restore original CA8-4/1 firmware.

WILI-S on AR2313 supports up to 16 multiple BSSID (Virtual AP), per BSSID security settings, including WEP/WPA/WPA2 PSK and Enterprise (RADIUS), 802.1X, intra access point user isolation, per BSSID VLAN tagging, WEB login, dynamic white and black lists for walled garden forming and guest access, IP routing, bridging, stateful inspection firewall. Secure WDS capabilities together with WILI-S client mode (STA) functionality in open, WPA/WPA2 PSK and Enterprise modes make WILI-S a platform of choice for wireless CPE, PtMP bridges. The extensive client mode (STA) support on the affordable hardware platforms allows incorporating 802.11 networking capabilities into telemetry, utility metering and multimedia devices.

More information on the features and application scenarios can be found in WILI-S User's Guide, which together with the sample configuration files is available for download on company's WEB site.

WILI provides functionality and flexible management options for the large-scale Enterprise, ISP and Wireless Public Access networks. The platform is targeting WISPs, telecom operators and OEM, ODM manufacturers.

WILI-S is available immediately under flexible licensing schemes starting from single device license and ending with royalty free platform acquisition. Our experienced team of software engineers, which have developed and support WILI-S software, will customize and expand WILI-S user and management interfaces as well as will provide integration services of WILI-S based and customer's 802.11 networking equipment on the request under attractive conditions.

About WILIBOX:
WILIBOX is a leading wireless networking specialist providing embedded Linux software platform for 802.11 wireless networks as well as flexible management system for WISPs, telecom operators and OEM, ODM wireless devices manufacturers. WILIBOX is a privately held company located in Kaunas, Lithuania. Find more information at www.wilibox.com.

WILIBOX Contact
press@wilibox.com
+370 37 759007

WILIBOX, WILI and RCMS are trademarks of WILIBOX company. Other brands and names are the property of their respective owners.

In a high cost and competitive market, it's no wonder that those in the hospitality industry want technology to help them increase revenues. But how can a wireless POS device help them achieve this?

Wireless mobile computing can help in many ways. One such instance is by eliminating the need for staff to line up at a specific POS terminal to place orders. By utilizing mobile technology, serving staff are more productive since time spent
during the order taking process is decreased. Wireless mobile computing also allows serving staff to place orders instantly, and then go directly to the next table, thereby increasing table turns. And because serving staff are more productive, significant savings can be seen through decreased labor costs.
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Another drawback to stationary POS terminals is that serving staff usually place a number of orders at once to the kitchen,
overwhelming kitchen staff. Placing orders tableside eliminates this problem, as orders are more evenly spaced.

Plus, when orders are placed tableside, order taking is more
accurate and less food is wasted. This directly translates into decreased food costs. Also, serving staff can spend more
time with customers, which significantly increases up-sell opportunities.

Utilizing wireless mobile computing in a hospitality environment also allows restaurateurs to approach staffing in a more
cost effective and efficient way. Instead of scheduling a large number of serving staff who are responsible for all the
order taking and food delivery, a wireless POS solution allows restaurant owners the opportunity to hire just a few skilled
staff, give them larger sections, and make their primary focus greeting customers, taking orders and up selling. Non-serving
staff can then be hired (at significant payroll savings) to dispatch food and clean sections. When serving staff are able to remain on the floor, the result is superior customer service and again increased sales through up selling and faster table turns.

Now, Volanté™ POS Systems of Toronto, Canada has come along and revolutionized the wireless POS industry in a creative and innovative way. By using PC notebooks (not much bigger then a handheld) the entire POS software
is loaded on the unit and it runs as a terminal with peer to peer, data synching etc. PDA's don't work in this manner- they
require writing to the unit (in other words, new code, separate product) plus they're not robust enough for Food and beverage.
Volanté™ has evolved its software into the peer to peer architecture, and now POS software can be loaded onto a small wireless notebook with amazing results. The technology is revolutionary - nobody else can do what Volanté™ is doing.

This approach can work exceptionally well in venues that aren't traditional table side establishments, such as stadiums,
trade shows, casinos, arenas, race tracks and outdoor sales areas (such as rooftop patios for instance) where conventional POS terminals aren't practical nor feasible.

Wireless mobile computing from Volanté™ offers even more important and innovative features. For instance, the menus on the notebook or handhelds are the exact same menus as on the traditional register. The databases are in sync with one another.
You don't have to program them separately; they're an extension of the host computer. This approach is less expensive
because it doesn't require separate servers for handhelds and traditional registers. And because
Volanté™ POS software is written in pure Java, its real time as well.

For more information on how wireless POStechnology and wireless mobile computing from Volanté™ can help your business increase profits and productivity, email them
at sales@volantesystems.com, or visit their website at http://www.volantesystems.com.

Wireless POS solutions truly allow Hospitality leaders to enter the 21st century, while also giving them an extra edge in a
fiercely competitive industry.

 The keyboard is another area to consider when buying a laptop. Why is the size of the keyboard important? A larger laptop will have a slightly larger keyboard area. But keep in mind that if you worry about your fingers or wrists taking on too much stress from typing on a keyboard that is too small, you may want this to be a main factor in your purchasing decision,

Tip #2 Choose Your Mouse
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A laptop it will come with a built in touch pad, an alternative to the mouse, whereby the pad is controlled by the user's finger movement. For some people, this type of pad is uncomfortable and not easy to work with. Before purchasing a laptop, determine what mouse options are available. Test each one and determine which one best meets your needs.

Tip #3: Wireless Options

Today, when many people think laptop, they think “wireless”. No doubt people want to make sure that their laptop computer will be able to access the Internet with a wireless connection. Many try to account for this by ensuring that their laptop has potential upgrade options, such as room for an expandable PC card or a USB port. However, since so many laptop users are looking for wireless connections, many of today's laptops come pre-wired for wireless Internet. All you need to do is activate your wireless Internet service, and your laptop will take it from there. So depending on your needs, choose your laptop whether it is capable of expanding or if it is already configured for wireless Internet.

Tip #4 Check for Ports

Peripheral equipment will be connected to your laptop through USB ports. You will make your life much less complicated by ensuring that your laptop has adequate ports. Connecting equipment such as printers, scanners, and digital cameras will be much simpler if you have the ports readily available. If you are not sure, thoroughly read the specs for any laptop that you are considering purchasing.

Tip #5 Check Your Budget First

Finally, when buying a laptop, beware that you do not overspend. First create your budget and stick to it. When you think that you have found the laptop that you want, do not rush into it. Wait a day and check over your budget, requirements, and see if you are still as excited about the laptop in the morning, as you were when the sales clerk was showing off its specs. If you still feel that it is the laptop that you want to purchase, then go for it.

About The Author:

Rob Buenaventura invites you to Laptops ‘n Notebooks 4 U , an information site focused on your laptop and notebooks needs.

Personal Area Network.

Using wireless networking with your personal gadgets is often called PAN, which stands for Personal Area Network. The idea is that, in the future, we'll all have laptop computers with their batteries charged and no more need to connect any wires to them at all -- you just place your Bluetooth device near the computer, and the computer sees it and can use it straightaway.

Bluetooth has been around and in-use since 1999, and it's only getting more popular. It was designed to be secure, low cost, and easy to use from day one.

There are two classes of Bluetooth that are in popular use: class 1 and class 2. Class 2 is the most common and cheaper standard, allowing you to use a device that is up to 10 metres (32 feet) away. Class 1 is rarer, but you can still find devices that use it easily enough, and it has ten times the range: 100 metres or 320 feet.
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How Does It Work?

Bluetooth is more flexible than 802.11 wireless networking, in exchange for the shorter range. Essentially, a Bluetooth-enabled computer has one Bluetooth receiver installed in it, and this receiver can then be used with up to 7 nearby Bluetooth devices. On the other end, wireless devices do not need to have Bluetooth installed if they support it -- it is already integrated.

Like 802.11, Bluetooth works by using radio signals to create bandwidth. It is not, though, the same thing as an old-style wireless mouse or keyboard, which required a receiver to be plugged into one of your computers' ports, and didn't have range or stability anywhere near that of Bluetooth.

Many computers now come with built in Bluetooth, especially Apple Macs. If you want to add Bluetooth to a computer that doesn't come with it pre-installed, you should probably use a USB to Bluetooth adapter, although internal Bluetooth devices to install in your computer are available. If you have a laptop and a spare PCMCIA slot, you can get Bluetooth cards for that too.

What Can You Do With Bluetooth?

Mobile phones with Bluetooth are very popular, and so are PDAs -- the instant synchronisation of addresses and calendars to a computer is a useful feature. Other than that, almost anything that would usually use USB can be done using Bluetooth, including digital cameras, mp3 players, printers, and even mice and keyboards. If you take a look through the comprehensive list of Bluetooth 'profiles' (kinds of devices that could, in theory, be Bluetooth enabled), it includes cordless phones, faxes, headsets, and even video.

Basically, more than anything, Bluetooth is a replacement for USB: some say that while 802.11 wireless networking is wireless Ethernet, Bluetooth is wireless USB.

Not Just for Computers.

Part of the power of Bluetooth is that it isn't just used to connect things to computers -- it can be used to connect almost anything to anything else, if both things are Bluetooth-enabled and recognise each other.

Mobile phones, in particular, take advantage of this. Hands-free headsets often use Bluetooth to communicate with the phone. Some cars, for example, now have on-board computers that will connect with a Bluetooth phone and allow you to make hands-free calls, regardless of where the phone is in the car (even if you've left it in your bag in the trunk!)

On top of that, of course, Bluetooth devices can communicate with each other. This has led to some people sending messages from their Bluetooth PDAs to others in close range -- not an especially useful feature, but quite fun. This is called 'bluejacking', and the first recorded instance of it was a man who sent a Bluetooth message to another man's Nokia phone while they were in a bank together. What did the message say? 'Buy Ericsson'.

Since then, it has become possible to send images by bluejacking, and it is widely believed to be the newest advertising medium -- yes, it lets billboards send messages to your phone, a practice known as 'bluecasting'. Whether you think that's cool or annoying, of course, is your choice.

About The Author:

Joe Byrne is a computer specialist specializing in network communications and Voice over Internet Protocol. You can get more information on VoIP at http://www.toll-free.ws 

Step 1: Look at the Manual. Yes, I know it seems like a dull thing to do, but you really need to at least skim the manual for things if you're going to go putting them in your computer. It's much better to do it now than to realise afterwards that you missed an essential step in the installation. A few cards, for example, require you to install the software before installing the card -- do this now if you need to.

Step 2: Switch the Computer Off. Before you even think about opening the computer, you've got to switch it off. You should use the 'Shut Down' option to make sure that the computer will start fresh next time, and wait for it to shut down completely.

Step 3: Unplug the Computer. To be safe, you should disconnect the computer from the power supply now. If there is anything connected to the computer, you should unplug that from the power too, as well as unplugging the wires from the back of the computer. If you're nervous that you won't remember which wire goes where when it's time to put them back again, you could draw a diagram before you start this step. Most modern computers have a matching color coding system on the rear panel. Pink goes to pink, green to green etc.

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Step 4: Remove the Case. To avoid damaging your computer's parts or electrocuting yourself, you should be wearing an anti-static wristband (also known as a ground strap) whenever you open your computer. If you're not sure how to get the case off, consult your computer's manual. It's usually just a matter of unscrewing, though -- but make sure you keep the screws somewhere where they won't get lost.

Step 5: When the cover is removed, the first thing to do is to locate the PCI slots on your motherboard, different motherboards have different amounts of PCI slots, for example you may already have a PCI card installed, in which case just choose an empty slot to install your new PCI card. PCI slots are long, rectangular slots inside the computer. Some of the available PCI slots might be used by existing modems or Ethernet cards. If there's no space for your new wireless card, then you might need to remove some of this old equipment.

Step 6: Insert the PCI Card. If you're using a PCI slot that hasn't been used before, you'll need to unscrew the piece of metal filling the gap in the back of the computer created by there being no card there. Make sure you store this piece in a safe place, in case you ever need it again.

When you insert the PCI card into the slot, do it as carefully as you can. Try not to touch any of the circuits on the card. Once it's in the slot, you will need to press firmly, but don't use too much force. You should also make sure that you point the wireless card's antenna upwards.

Step 7: Close the Case. Just do what you did in step 4 in reverse -- put it all back together.

Step 8: Plug In and Start. You need to plug your computer back in and start it. If you don't want to re-attach all your cables right now, you will at least need to plug in the keyboard, mouse and monitor. Many people are scared when they turn on their computer again after installing a PCI card and it doesn't work -- only to find that the error was caused by them not reconnecting their keyboard! When you reboot your machine Windows (or other OS) should find the card automatically, it will then prompt you for the driver disk/cd that came with your card, insert the CD and follow the on-screen instructions.

Step 9: Install Drivers and Software. Once the computer's done starting, it should notice it has some new hardware. This is when you should insert the CD that came with the card, and leave Windows to do its thing. If everything's gone to plan, the PCI card should be set up automatically. If things don't happen automatically, try inserting the CD before you panic.

Step 10: Configure Your Network. Your PCI wireless card gives your computer a permanent wireless connection. The first time you use it, you should be asked which wireless network you want to connect to. Choose your wireless network from the list, and you're ready to go!

About the Author

Many of have become used to the idea that you can transfer digital camera images to your PC or printer through the use of a memory card, PictBridge interface and even using Bluetooth technology. As technology manufacturers continue to raise the bar on a daily basis, we’ll soon be infiltrated with these same cameras that come with a Wi-Fi interface. Canon has announced a January 2006 release of their new Ixus Digital Wireless camera that not only transfers the picture data to your computer but also allows you to control the camera’s actions from your PC.

Are you suffering from home wireless networking nightmare? There are so many options. 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g – what is all that? All you want is to get online on your notebook computer in your living room without tripping over wires.