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Another hotspot in a box - price kept secret

Netopia has bundled everything you need to run a WiFi hotspot into a box. The box includes back-end authentication and real-time credit card processing capabilities. You have to worry, though, when the announcement doesn't mention how much it costs ...

The attraction for corporate IT is obvious. The idea is that you simply drop this into your office LAN structure, and don't have to worry about compromising internal security:

"The hotspot-in-a-box solution includes a Netopia WiFi-certified ADSL or Ethernet gateway that instantly creates a broadband-enabled wireless network supporting both public and private users."

Target market for this is retail premises who want to share the costs of their broadband with their customers by providing internet access. Or, in more conventionally acceptable corporate-speak:

"As a managed broadband service provider with over 20,000 retail locations on our network, Netopia's comprehensive approach to hotspot deployment is exactly what we are looking for," said Adrian C. Byram, Senior Vice President of Products and Services at MegaPath Networks Inc. "Our retail customers want to participate in the revenue and customer acquisition opportunities hotspots offer by leveraging their current broadband connection with minimal impact to their on-going business."

The full announcement is available on the Netopia site. Poor people should probably not apply ... "if Sir has to ask how much it costs, Sir will probably not be able to afford it."