Ericsson selected by Inspired Broadcast Networks to supply infrastructure for The Cloud, Europe's largest public Wi-Fi Network

Thu, Mar 06, 2003 11:00 CET Report this content

Inspired is the exclusive provider of networked and wireless services to Leisure Link, the largest manager of coin operated entertainment and gaming machines in the UK with 90,000 machines in 30,000 public space venues. The Inspired digital entertainment platform is currently installed in more than 3 000 high traffic locations.

Ericsson will equip the entertainment terminals with DSL router and Wi-Fi access point equipment. The Cloud's public Wi-Fi Hot Spots use Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL) for backhaul of traffic. The use of DSL enables rapid massive coverage with relatively small infrastructure investments. 

The Cloud is a wholesale network, selling capacity on the network to other service providers, who will then sell Wi-Fi services to their customers using their own brand.  BT Openzone will be the first service provider on the network.  Customers will also be able to buy pay-as-you-go services at each of the Cloud's Hot Spots from the entertainment terminals.

"The opportunity that this network offers the world, matches Ericsson's corporate strategy within Mobile & Broadband Internet communications. We are proud to lead the way in this area and look forward to continued activities with The Cloud and their vendors," says Ove Anebygd, Vice President, Ericsson.

Ericsson's Wi-Fi solution gives broadband operators and service providers the ability to offer their customers wireless Hot Spot access at the same speeds that they have in their broadband connected homes or offices. It also offers mobile operators the opportunity to extend the truly mobile "always-on" data services of 2G/3G mobile networks with the higher speeds offered locally by Wi-Fi in public Hot Spots.

"We are very excited to be working with Ericsson on this important initiative," said George Polk, Managing Director, The Cloud.  "We want to blast open the Wi-Fi market by allowing cellular operators, global IT and systems integrators and other major branded operators to offer Wi-Fi mobile broadband data services to their customers. By committing to this aggressive rollout, we are creating Europe's first nationwide network, making Wi-Fi a viable broadband access alternative for the travelling business user. Additionally, Inspired's unique position in the entertainment market means that we can also use the Cloud network to push new entertainment applications as these come into the market."