Wireless Access On A RollWireless Access On A Roll

Moving forward, FedEx has big plans for wireless. It's assessing how it can give employees seamless coverage from the warehouse using Wi-Fi and in the field using 3G--a higher-speed cellular spectrum that transmits data faster than older cellular technologies but not as fast as Wi-Fi--from a wireless carrier. It's also trying to improve delivery technology. Workers use a store-and-forward system: Customers sign for the deliveries on a handheld device, and the driver transmits the information from a truck radio. "We're moving away from that," Pasley says. "If you're on the 10th floor, finish the deliveries to a building, and go back to your truck, you might get a pickup order back on the eighth floor of the same building." A real-time system would give that information to the driver while he's still in the building.

Pasley is also considering partnering with customers to tap into their Wi-Fi infrastructure. That way, the customer and FedEx could view tracking, delivery, and supply-chain information more quickly.

In the transportation industry, Wi-Fi is also gaining steam. Flying J Inc., a $4.7 billion-a-year truck-stop company, has installed Wi-Fi gear in 45 locations, with plans to install it in 160. An average of eight customers each day plug in to an Ethernet jack in the restaurant or lounge and get 256-Kbps Internet access. But the company wants to further serve truckers, about 20% of whom have laptops. "They'd love to be doing business from the privacy of their own trucks," says Michael Young, director of sales and marketing for TON Services, Flying J's communications subsidiary. What's more, they can scan their bills of lading from their trucks to their offices rather than sending the proof of delivery via costly overnight mail or slow U.S. mail. "It improves their cash flow," Young says.

Flying J charges 10 cents a minute for the wired access. Once wireless is installed at 80 sites, the company will start offering wireless access, giving customers several pricing options: per minute, per day, or via a 10-day subscription competitive with AOL Time Warner or EarthLink Inc. rates ($15 to $25 a month).

Flying J also uses Wi-Fi in its own offices. "We have hot spots all over," Young says. "When we have quarterly meetings with 30 salespeople coming to headquarters, it's a lot easier with wireless access."

As businesses become more comfortable with Wi-Fi, the next big application is IP voice. Lowe's Companies Inc., a $22 billion-a-year home-improvement retailer, uses Wi-Fi-enabled IP phones to get quick answers to customer questions wherever they are in the store via products from from SpectraLink Corp. Several cell-phone manufacturers are considering hybrid phones that handle calls via Wi-Fi in the office or at a hot spot and via cellular service elsewhere. Such equipment and services are expected to be available in 2004 or 2005.

American Airlines has limited deployments of wireless IP phones it uses to improve customer service during bad weather or flight delays. The airline puts them on carts and brings them to customer areas when needed rather than investing in a fixed deployment of phones and cabling. Passengers can call their travel agents for help and their families to let them know about the delay. "Voice is going to be a very intriguing area over the next few years," says Chris Bolinger, a Cisco Systems product manager. "There's already a business case for voice over IP, so bringing that to wireless will be useful."

Once that happens, Starwood's waiters can call in their guests' pina coladas from a Wi-Fi phone.

Photo by Bob Stefko