For the past year or so, Verizon has offered high speed wireless service (called EVDO) through its cell phone network for $(removed) a month. Shortly after that, a company called Junxion started selling a $(removed) portable device called a Junxion Box. You stick your EVDO PC card into it and you have a portable WiFi hotspot that anyone within range can use.
Wi-Fi Toys author Mike Outmesguine showed me his nifty solar powered setup at Xeni's house a few weeks ago, which he wrote about in Popular Science.
It turns out Verizon is none too pleased that people are using Junxion Boxes. Instead of embracing this cool enhancement, they are moaning the blues about how this is going to cut into sales. This New York Times presents both sides.
"The premise is one person buys an air card and one person uses the service, not an entire
neighborhood," said Jeffrey Nelson, executive director for corporate communications at Verizon
Wireless. "Giving things away for free doesn't work anymore. It never did."Unlimited service on cellular modem cards for PC's costs about $(removed) a month. The carriers are clearly
worried about a technology that could destroy that business, but they have not formed a united front
against Junxion.The makers of the Junxion Box, based in Seattle, seem eager to head off any battle by forming
partnerships with the wireless companies."We're not trying to build a radar detector," said John Daly, 42, co-founder of Junxion Inc. and vice
president for business development. "We believe we're creating an opportunity for the carriers. It may
not be entirely comfortable for them right now, but we hope we can get to a point where we can
collaborate with them."
PS: the next issue of Make (Vol 3) will have an article on how to make your own Junxion Box-like device.
