Trade Resources Industry Views Amazon Is Believed to Be Testing a New, Pervasive Wireless Network in Cupertino

Amazon Is Believed to Be Testing a New, Pervasive Wireless Network in Cupertino

Amazon is believed to be testing a new, pervasive wireless network in Cupertino, California.

According to Bloomberg, which says it has spoken to those close to the project, Amazon has been working with spectrum owned by satellite communications company Globalstar to trial wireless, Wi-Fi-based web gateway technology.

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Globalstar itself is said to looking to switch 80 per cent of its spectrum to terrestrial use which means, in theory, development of such a project could enable Amazon to provide mobile web access at faster speeds than existing Wi-Fi currently allows.

The company secured FCC (Federal Communications Commission) permission to convert its spectrum back in November 2012.

With Amazon already possessing a range of wireless-based solutions, including its Kindle products and video subscription services - not to mention its consumer and enterprise cloud storage platforms - Amazon could conceivably find itself in control of its own destiny with regard to the connectivity of its products and services.

It is possible Amazon is attempting to keep up with Google, whose Google Fiber service is still being set up and tested in various US locations.

Rather than wireless, Google Fiber is based on an ultra-high speed, 1Gbps fibre-to-the-home product, which is set to launch officially in Austin, Texas by mid-2014.

Google's plans are clearly moving ahead at speed, as Austin City Council yesterday announced that Austin City Hall and Central Library will be receiving the service absolutely free, provided by the council, as the city attempts to use the cheap fibre contract to improve connectivity across the area.

Criteria is still being decided as to who else will benefit from no-cost Google Fiber, but geographic spread of sites, serving diverse populations and a governmental, educational or social services bias will apparently assist in helping the council make a decision.

Source: http://www.computing.co.uk/ctg/news/2290712/is-amazon-setting-up-its-own-google-fiberbeating-wireless-network#comment_form
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