Wondering where you can sit down with a laptop and a cup of coffee and get access to a wireless local area network (WLAN)?
Just look for the wireless logo, or so said the Ministry of Economic Affairs after they introduced their new mark yesterday. The ministry hopes locations that offer the wireless computer and PDA services will display the logo to promote the technology in collaboration with WLAN service companies.
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
Wireless networks are local area data communications systems that enable users to surf the Internet without cables via a radio-frequency.
SOURCE: MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
"Although WLAN service has been available for a while, most people still have no idea how to use it or where to get service," said Sandy Cheng (
All that is required to connect at a coffee shop or while waiting at one of Taiwan's major airports is the installation of an NT$1,000 wireless network interface card into a notebook PC or PDA and an account with services providers.
Those companies -- Yaw Jen Technology Co Ltd (
In addition, coffee shops such as Barista Coffee, Coffee Beans and Kohikan Coffee have begun offering the service as well.
But one major hurdle facing these tech firms is the fact that users have to subscribe to multiple services to have access in different locations.
With plans to work on resolving this dilemma and to create an industry standard, the ministry said it will bring together service operators to form a WLAN special interest group.
"In order to stimulate market growth, cooperation is very important," Cheng said.
These hurdles will have to be overcome before the service can take off, she said.
If they are serious about selling the idea to consumers on a large scale, sooner or later rivals will have to discuss ways to make the service more palatable to consumers.
"If they can't solve the roaming problem between different service operators, consumers can't really enjoy the convenience of using WLAN nationwide," said Tsai Zse-hong (
With different WLAN services issuing different passwords, users may have to switch their personal identity numbers from location to location.
"We hope companies can cooperative to develop a universal authentication system or a universal password, allowing an individual to use one identification number to access all services," Zse said.
It may take some time, however, to reach such a goal.
"We've realized this problem ? but it involves some technological barriers and billing-system differences that will be difficult to solve," said Frank Jiang (
"But at least we are moving in the right direction to make the technology more user-friendly," Jiang said.
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