MobileStar
Encyclopedia
MobileStar was a wireless Internet service provider which first gained notoriety in deploying Wi-Fi Internet access points in Starbucks
coffee shops and American Airlines
Admiral Club locations across the United States
. Founded by Greg Jackson and Mark Goode in 1998, MobileStar was the first wireless ISP to place a WiFi hotspot in an airport, a hotel, or a coffee shop. MobileStar's core value proposition was to provide wireless broadband connectivity for the business traveler in all the places he was likely to "sleep, eat, move, or meet." MobileStar's initial deployments used a frequency hopping product supplied by Proxim. However, after the IEEE 802.11b standard was adopted, MobileStar converted its network infrastructure to the 802.11b industry standard. MobileStar's founders faced many challenges in developing the company: evolving technology standards, fluid business models, no industry standard billing system, and questions about the competitive value of a site license agreement instead of licensed spectrum. Over time each of these issues were addressed and the agreement with Starbucks in early 2001 signaled a maturing of the marketplace.
MobileStar's demise was the result of at least two important factors: the collapse in the private equity markets in mid-2001 and the events of September 11th. While MobileStar's investors provided a bridge loan during the mid-2001 time frame, the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington brought a steep decline in business travel, MobileStar's core market. MobileStar's investors could not continue to finance the business and new investors were skittish about investing in a company focused on serving a market that had recently and rapidly collapsed.
It ceased operation in October 2001, but its bankrupt assets and contracts were bought by Voicestream Wireless and by February 2002, was operating as T-Mobile
Broadband. T-Mobile Broadband was the first part of VoiceStream to rebrand to the T-Mobile name. It was officially launched as T-Mobile HotSpot in August 2002.
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
coffee shops and American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
Admiral Club locations across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Founded by Greg Jackson and Mark Goode in 1998, MobileStar was the first wireless ISP to place a WiFi hotspot in an airport, a hotel, or a coffee shop. MobileStar's core value proposition was to provide wireless broadband connectivity for the business traveler in all the places he was likely to "sleep, eat, move, or meet." MobileStar's initial deployments used a frequency hopping product supplied by Proxim. However, after the IEEE 802.11b standard was adopted, MobileStar converted its network infrastructure to the 802.11b industry standard. MobileStar's founders faced many challenges in developing the company: evolving technology standards, fluid business models, no industry standard billing system, and questions about the competitive value of a site license agreement instead of licensed spectrum. Over time each of these issues were addressed and the agreement with Starbucks in early 2001 signaled a maturing of the marketplace.
MobileStar's demise was the result of at least two important factors: the collapse in the private equity markets in mid-2001 and the events of September 11th. While MobileStar's investors provided a bridge loan during the mid-2001 time frame, the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington brought a steep decline in business travel, MobileStar's core market. MobileStar's investors could not continue to finance the business and new investors were skittish about investing in a company focused on serving a market that had recently and rapidly collapsed.
It ceased operation in October 2001, but its bankrupt assets and contracts were bought by Voicestream Wireless and by February 2002, was operating as T-Mobile
T-Mobile
T-Mobile International AG is a German-based holding company for Deutsche Telekom AG's various mobile communications subsidiaries outside Germany. Based in Bonn, Germany, its subsidiaries operate GSM and UMTS-based cellular networks in Europe, the United States, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
Broadband. T-Mobile Broadband was the first part of VoiceStream to rebrand to the T-Mobile name. It was officially launched as T-Mobile HotSpot in August 2002.
External links
- Starbucks wireless network a sweet deal for MobileStar By Carolyn Duffy Marsan, Network World, 2001-06-25.
- MobileStar shutting down network By Ben Charny CNETCNETCNET is a tech media website that publishes news articles, blogs, and podcasts on technology and consumer electronics. Originally founded in 1994 by Halsey Minor and Shelby Bonnie, it was the flagship brand of CNET Networks and became a brand of CBS Interactive through CNET Networks' acquisition...
News.com, 2001-10-11. - VoiceStream Catches A Falling MobileStar by Bob Liu, Executive Editor of internetnews.com, 2001-11-13.