Wi-Fi: Getting more for your money
As a result, potential users have been faced with a patchwork of competing services in which a subscription for one network is no use for accessing another.
Two announcements this week, from T-Systems and iPass, suggest that the situation may be improving.
T-Systems, a division of Deutsche Telekom, is pushing forward an ambitious plan to unite half the world's Wi-Fi hot spots under its banner.
Under this plan, T-Systems will buy network time from each Wi-Fi operator. It will then resell this capacity to other companies. This is likely to include mobile phone operators -- whose 3G network plans may be threatened by the rise of Wi-Fi. T-Systems has already got several thousand hot spots through deals with network operators.
Wireless ISPs are also likely to be interested in using T-Systems as a way of widening their network without having to build additional hot spots.
Individual users won't be able to buy a package directly from T-Systems, but could still see benefits. If the T-Systems wholesale package is a commercial success, then mobile workers should find that they can roam on many Wi-Fi networks through a single subscription.
Several other companies are ahead of T-Systems in the race to aggregate the world's Wi-Fi market.
IPass, one of the market leaders, said on Tuesday that its global network now included over 11,000 hot spots. IPass has now aggregated over 100 Wi-Fi networks, and says it is focusing on adding venues that will be frequented by business travellers who would like an Internet connection.
"Now, any convenient location that offers Wi-Fi can be business-oriented," said Anurag Lal, iPass vice president of business development.