Toshiba tunes into Wi-Fi networking

Toshiba is to unveil a group of products and services focused on linking Wi-Fi and mobile networks, at next week's TechxNY expo in New York.

The electronics giant aims to entice service providers and ISPs to increase nationwide US wireless data coverage.

Toshiba's public spaces initiative is looking stimulate the deployment of Wi-Fi networks by linking them to the cellular network infrastructure.

In its enthusiasm for the concept, the company is even rumoured to be planning to announce its own hot-spot network service across the US, although that would not be up and running until next year at the earliest, according to company insiders.

The concept of linking cellular offerings with Wi-Fi hot-spot networks is far from original in the US. Voicestream Wireless, the Deutsche Telekom-owned US wireless operator, has already acquired a number of Wi-Fi networks across the country and says it is gearing up to develop subscriber accounts covering access to both networks.

According to Toshiba, its technology will eventually allow users to change from one network to another as appropriate, based on speed of the network or cost.

Toshiba is set to make a handful of Wi-Fi announcements ranging from its new wireless PDA with built-in Wi-Fi to its turnkey hot-spot offering that provides businesses with a quick way to offer public, paid-for wireless access.

Toshiba is not the only vendor considering a wireless ISP strategy. Recently, IBM announced its own plans to lead a consortium of high-tech companies in a bid to create a single, national Wi-Fi network.