Public Phones as WiFi Hotspots... round 2

Almost one year ago I posted on this blog about how operators that have invested in public telephone networks could still use the asset today in the day of prolific mobile phone use.

This was the convergence of two main ideas

1. Using street lights as Wifi Hotspots, they are everywhere and they are powered. Also as I noted if you combine with broadband over power line (BPL) you also don't need to invest in new cabling and the convenience of no minimal disruption that no digging brings makes this compelling.
2. After the limited success of Ionica and their fixed wireless network a case for fixed wireless today.

There is a summary available on Telegeography of how TeliaSonera are looking to adapt their network of phone booths to become WiFi hotspots. The math has to make sense as the revenue stream from these assets has to be impacted by mobile use. Though somewhat redundant functionally they still represent real presence for the operator on the high street and so any use that can be found for them must be good.

We are now starting to see the first wave of mobile WiMax devices appear so 802.11 and 802.16 would both be valuable. This adoption of the other network using WiMax and UMA could be Wireless' own VoIP disruption.