Wireless@KL

As with other cities around the world, Kuala Lumpur has joined the leagues of cities with blanket cover WiFi hotspots with their Wireless@KL project. The Kuala Lumpur cityhall (or DBKL) has contracted ISP PacketOne to roll out the service in stages. Rather than build a WiFi mesh network, PacketOne which is also one of the WiMAX 2.3GHz spectrum licensees has used their spectrum to provide WiMAX as the backbone network for the Wireless@KL wireless network. This is a rather good approach has the stronger secure WiMAX network would provide a robust network to interconnect all the WiFi hotspots.

In contrast, the Wireless@SG Singapore wireless network has been given to multiple ISPs contractors therefore each of the providers have to seek their own backhaul or build their own wireless backhaul network to support their own WiFi hotspots.

This will be a boon to road warriors who previously have to hang out in Starbucks for their internet connectivity fix. With the Wireless@KL project, we may be able to connect in more unlikely places such as parks, government buildings, etc.  Perhaps, now Starbucks might have to reduce the price of their coffee to attract WiFi hungry users back to their stores... only time will tell. It will be interesting to see how the other hotspot providers such as TM, Time, Maxis and the independent ISPs such as Airzed and eB react to this new Wireless@KL initiative.