As a result of the explosive popularity of Wi-Fi networks, there will be about 45,000 public hotspots worldwide by the end of 2003, according to Pyramid Research. Most of these are concentrated in hotels, airports and a few national retail and café chains. In contrast, according to Boingo
®’s own market research, there are nearly two million potential hotspot locations in the US alone, broken down as follows:
- 212 conference centers
- 3,032 train stations
- 5,352 airports
- 53,500 hotels
- 72,720 business centers
- 202,600 gas stations
- 480,298 restaurants, bars and cafes
- 1,111,300 retail stores
Clearly, hotspot deployment is in its infancy. This translates into a significant opportunity for enterprising hotspot operators. It’s a land grab. However, so long as uncertainties about the economics and characteristics of the hotspot industry linger, significant investment capital will remain on the sidelines.
