BT plans Wi-Fi service in offices and public locations

Paul Abrahams and Thorold Barker, write in the FT: "Wireless Lans, also known as Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) ... are proving hugely popular in the US." And they add: "Now it is Europe's turn. In Scandanavia, Telia of Sweden and Sonera of Finland have already set up wireless Lans. But this week BT Group became Europe's first large fixed-line company to announce plans to launch a Wi-Fi service." Why is this significant? Abrahams and Barker continue: "Data can be retrieved at up to 11 megabits a second over Wi-Fi networks - 30 times faster than the speeds likely to be offered by 3G services." But there is a downside: "Wi-Fi's biggest disadvantage is that is is less flexible - consumers must be in a specific place to access services rather than being able to wander around at will."