Intel has prepared the ground for the launch of its Centrino low-power, wireless-enabled notebooks this week by detailing plans for a 3,000-site UK Wi-Fi network. The plan will make the UK a leader in wireless LANs (WLANs) but many users will have the hard task of visiting their local pubs to achieve connections.
Intel, Ericsson and Inspired Broadcast Networks will work together to develop the network, called The Cloud, which will then be made available to service providers to offer branded services. Free trial services in 250 locations will begin next month and BT Openzone will be the first service provider to build on The Cloud with commercial services starting in July. The 3,000 target is intended to be reached by end of this year.
According to Intel, the UK only has 200 public-access hotspots, and Germany, the most advanced Wi-Fi country in Europe, only has 500 sites. Most sites will be in pubs with access points located on games machines; supporters envisage the pubs being used for informal business meetings during the day.
To carry the Centrino brand, laptops must include a Pentium M mobile processor, an accompanying 855 chipset, and an Intel WLAN adapter. However, some vendors will also sell laptops with non-Intel WLAN kit for firms that have standardised on alternative suppliers such as Cisco.
Dell, Toshiba, IBM, Sony and others will launch Centrino models this week.
IT Week Labs tests of the first Centrino laptops found that some, like Toshiba's Tecra S1, are capable of running for more than five hours without a recharge - compared with an average battery life for laptops of 3.5 hours. However, Toshiba's desktop-replacement system includes a larger than average battery. Results for ultraportable Centrino systems proved much less impressive.
