Common Goals, Unique Strengths: Page 2 of 26

• Provide some form of centralized network monitoring and management

• Assign private IP addresses and use NAT (Network Address Translation) to translate to a public address for Internet access and

• Allow authentication via a secure (SSL-based) Web page.

In identifying differences among vendor services, the most significant was pricing--from $10 on the low end for monthly service to $60 on the high end. The aggregators' services cost more than going directly to the network operators, because fees must be divided between two companies, but in return you can expect broader coverage and some value-adds. Other factors that set each provider apart include integration with cellular networks; having Bluetooth on their road maps; regional, nationwide or international coverage; offering key value-added services, such as dial-up and Ethernet; and providing a software client for functions such as authentication, location discovery and security.

Our talks with these providers revealed two important future developments: dramatic planned increases in coverage that could not yet be announced and significant decreases in projected pricing. In fact, many of the participants outlined grand schemes, though much of the information was off the record. We've included the highlights with this caveat: If you choose a provider based in part on future offerings, you'll want to pay attention to our analysis of the company's business model (see "Wi-Fi Hotspot Providers at a Glance,").