WLAN Vendors With Proximity Beacon / iBeacon Integration

My conference speaker topic for 2015 CWNP IT Professional Wi-Fi Trek National Conference on September 28th at 8am is “Wi-Fi Engineer’s Guide to Proximity Beacons (iBeacons)”.

More info about conference is below.

CWNP IT Professional Wi-Fi Trek Conference focuses on continuing education, networking, and making the most out of your relationship with CWNP. Attendees, speakers, and partners are among the most innovative leaders in the industry who come together to connect and share ideas. This conference is built around sharing information with others. This will allow attendees to take back new knowledge for immediate implementation and growth within their industry and career.

The talk will include how proximity beacons work, impact on 2.4GHz WiFi, and how to use mobile applications to test and plan out proximity beacon solutions. I will use a new app called SoftBeacon made by AccessAgility to demonstrate various proximity beacon use cases.

In preparation for my talk I researched various WLAN vendors and their proximity beacon integration offerings. I started with a short list of WLAN vendors based on WLAN market share and documented the software and hardware products available from each vendor related to proximity based solutions.

1. Cisco Systems
2. HP/Aruba Networks
3. Ruckus Wireless
4. Zebra (Motorola/Symbol)

Cisco Systems

Hardware: Cisco Hyperlocation Module – “Cisco Hyperlocation is an ultraprecise location solution that attaches to the back of your Cisco Aironet® 3700 and 3600 Series wireless access points. It combines Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technologies to pinpoint beacons, inventory, and personal mobile devices. While some other networks use multiple access points to get location coordinates within 5 to 7 meters of accuracy, Cisco Hyperlocation can track locations to within a single meter.”

Software: Use CleanAir to monitor, detect, locate, and report on Bluetooth devices as interferers. Use MSE to categorize BLE devices. Use Cisco Connected Mobile Experiences (CMX) for analytics.

Meraki

Hardware: Meraki MR32 and MR72 APs include integrated BLE technology.

Software: Meraki dashboard can scan for Bluetooth devices and also allows iBeacon transmitter capability. As of Sept 2015 only a single iBeacon UUID, Major, Minor can be transmitted for an entire network of access points.

HP/Aruba Networks

Hardware: dual coin-cell powered Aruba beacon, USB powered Aruba beacon, Aruba Access Points with USB port.

Software: Meridian mobile app platform –
Meridian Editor – Cloud-based content management system that serves as the online hub for Meridian-powered tools.
AppMaker – A module in the Meridian Editor that lets you build a mobile app for your venue.
Mapping and self-guided wayfinding – Meridian feature that lets venues incorporate location- specific mapping and turn-by-turn directions into their Meridian-powered mobile app.
SDKs – Tools to add mapping and wayfinding (NavKit), indoor positioning on a map (BluDotKit), and proximity-based notifications (ZoneKit) to an existing app built by a third-party developer.
Aruba Location Services – Products that connect to sources of mobile device positioning data, such as Aruba Beacons powered by Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), that make a Meridian app location-aware.

Ruckus Wireless

Hardware: Gimbal USB beacons, Ruckus ZoneFlex R710 indoor access point (AP) and ZoneFlex H500 wall switch now support Gimbal as well as iBeacon technology with Ruckus SmartZone and ZoneDirector Controllers.

Software: “Ruckus Smart Positioning Technology (SPoT™) LBS provides key data, such as footfall traffic visualization via heat-map by zone, floor, and venue. Ruckus SPoT LBS can be deployed as a cloud-subscription service, or as Virtual SPoT, a virtualized instance of SPoT deployed on-premises or in a customer’s data center for a without any reoccurring costs.”

Zebra

Hardware: coin-cell powered beacon, AA battery powered beacon, USB powered beacon.

Software: MPact platform for location analytics and beacon management. “MPact comes with cloud-ready software that aggregates location data from Wi-Fi access points and Bluetooth® Smart beacons, providing insightful analytics on customer visits, as well as visibility into the health of the beacon network. With an HTML5 front end and a ApacheTM Hadoop® backend for big data to crunch through the millions of client end points, this solution is scalable and ready for any IT architecture, from the corporate data center to the private cloud. And our REST Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) provide the ultimate in flexibility, allowing you to access and utilize MPact data in other systems, expanding the reach and the value of the MPact location information.”

Detecting Hidden SSIDs With Your Favorite Mac OS WiFi Scanner

Detecting hidden SSIDs on Mac OS using your favorite WiFi Scanner form the Mac App Store requires a two step process.

1) Launch your favorite WiFi Scanner for Mac OS app.

2) Open “WiFi Diagnostics” by clicking Option+Airport icon in menu bar. Then click CMD+4 to open Scan feature. Click Scan. If you are near any hidden networks the window should show hidden networks without displaying the SSID name.

3) Now toggle back to your favorite WiFi Scanner for Mac OS app and you should see hidden SSID BSSID in your app.

You will need to click scan continuously to get updated info in your app. Not an ideal solution but at least now hidden networks can be visualized with other networks in your Mac OS WiFi Scanner. This method to show hidden WiFi SSIDs was tested on a MacBook Air running Yosemite (10.10.5)

Twitter IDs of CWNP Certified Wireless Network Expert #CWNE

I wanted to follow more WLAN professionals on Twitter and decided best place to start was with engineers with expert level certifications.

Many of these experts are very active on Twitter and are willing to share their knowledge and time to help others reach the CWNE rank. I recommend using Twitter to start following these professionals. It is a low cost way to be part of the worldwide WLAN ecosystem.

CWNE Twitter IDs (Updated: December 22, 2016)

CWNE 1 – 9

CWNE # 01 – @DevinAkin, Devin Akin
CWNE # 02 – @kimberlyAgraves, Kimberly Graves
CWNE # 03 – @KeithRParsons, Keith R Parsons
CWNE # 04 – @mistermultipath, David Coleman
CWNE # 05 – @??????, Jimmy Donahue
CWNE # 06 – @joelbarrett, Joel Barrett
CWNE # 07 – @davidwestcott, David Westcott
CWNE # 08 – @??????, Richard Navidad
CWNE # 09 – @??????, Mohammad Sarwar

CWNE 10 – 19

CWNE # 10 – @RickMurphyWiTS, Rick Murphy
CWNE # 11 – @??????, Ranjeet Rana
CWNE # 12 – @Ben_SniffWiFi, Ben Miller
CWNE # 13 – @??????, Chris Hyde
CWNE # 14 – @??????, Troy McMillan
CWNE # 15 – @??????, Senthilraj Shanmugavadivel
CWNE # 16 – @??????, Casey Collins
CWNE # 17 – @wifichef, Reggie Pugh
CWNE # 18 – @??????, Bader Azzouqa
CWNE # 19 – @??????, Rick Dreger

CWNE 20 – 29

CWNE # 20 – @??????, Deborah Dahlin
CWNE # 21 – @GTHill, GT Hill
CWNE # 22 – @??????, Tim Lemmon
CWNE # 23 – @MetkaDragos, Metka Dragos
CWNE # 24 – @??????, Luiz Santos
CWNE # 25 – @??????, Kenneth Gholston
CWNE # 26 – @??????, Vincent Chow
CWNE # 27 – @??????, Ismail Jado
CWNE # 28 – @??????, Zachary Crawford
CWNE # 29 – @??????, Michael Armel

CWNE 30 – 39

CWNE # 30 – @??????, Goran Ost
CWNE # 31 – @??????, Dan Spanner
CWNE # 32 – @??????, Douglas Haider
CWNE # 33 – @MackenzieWiFi, Peter Mackenzie
CWNE # 34 – @??????, Ryan Miles
CWNE # 35 – @??????, Pablo Alvarez
CWNE # 36 – @??????, George Anderson
CWNE # 37 – @??????, Jeff Smith
CWNE # 38 – @??????, Gene Sawyer
CWNE # 39 – @??????, Henry Chou

CWNE 40 – 49

CWNE # 40 – @??????, Kashif Siddiqui
CWNE # 41 – @??????, Abdullah Al-Ghubari
CWNE # 42 – @??????, Jeremy Kennedy
CWNE # 43 – @advani_dilip, Dilip Advani
CWNE # 44 – @80211University, Bryan Harkins
CWNE # 45 – @wirelessccie, Jerome Henry
CWNE # 46 – @??????, Brian B. Lang
CWNE # 47 – @??????, Jonn Martell
CWNE # 48 – @??????, Tom Miller
CWNE # 49 – @??????, Wei Wu

CWNE 50 – 59

CWNE # 50 – @??????, Levi Souza
CWNE # 51 – @JenniferLucille, Jennifer Huber
CWNE # 52 – @??????, Steve Smith
CWNE # 53 – @??????, Alistair Meakin
CWNE # 54 – @??????, Shawn Jackman
CWNE # 55 – @??????, Seth Rosenthal
CWNE # 56 – @??????, Roger Kuhn
CWNE # 57 – @??????, Matt Swartz
CWNE # 58 – @??????, Rob Rohde
CWNE # 59 – @??????, Tim Wilhoit

CWNE 60 – 69

CWNE # 60 – @??????, Kevin Steuber
CWNE # 61 – @??????, Edwin (EK) Ahn
CWNE # 62 – @??????, Mark Buch
CWNE # 63 – @??????, Derrick Dicoi
CWNE # 64 – @??????, Chris O’Donnell
CWNE # 65 – @??????, Jeff DiMaio
CWNE # 66 – @FIT_WiFi, Falk Bachmann
CWNE # 67 – @??????, Mark Phillips
CWNE # 68 – @??????, Ronald Shaul
CWNE # 69 – @??????, Vinay Saini

CWNE 70 – 79

CWNE # 70 – @??????, Kevin (Chen) Wang
CWNE # 71 – @??????, Greg Taylor
CWNE # 72 – @bhuddafunk, Robert Schaefer
CWNE # 73 – @??????, Bruce Heaven
CWNE # 74 – @??????, Brian Cox
CWNE # 75 – @??????, Darrell Schrock
CWNE # 76 – @??????, Derrick Phua
CWNE # 77 – @??????, Raymond Flores
CWNE # 78 – @marcusburton, Marcus Burton
CWNE # 79 – @??????, Brian Kovatch

CWNE 80 – 89

CWNE # 80 – @??????, Tarcizo Azevedo
CWNE # 81 – @??????, Mohammed Arshad
CWNE # 82 – @??????, Ric Hall
CWNE # 83 – @??????, Aunudrei Oliver
CWNE # 84 – @revolutionwifi, Andrew vonNagy
CWNE # 85 – @??????, Christian J. Estes
CWNE # 86 – @PPJM, PPJM Engelen
CWNE # 87 – @??????, Mark Sanetrik
CWNE # 88 – @??????, Paul Stanley
CWNE # 89 – @wifisamuri, Jon Linton

CWNE 90 – 99

CWNE # 90 – @troymart, Troy Martin
CWNE # 91 – @??????, Chad Smith
CWNE # 92 – @??????, Roman Podoynitsyn
CWNE # 93 – @??????, Aaron Smith
CWNE # 94 – @tdennehy, Timothy Dennehy
CWNE # 95 – @??????, Alan
Dumdei
CWNE # 96 – @GregorVucajnk, Gregor Vucajnk
CWNE # 97 – @??????, Hao Deng
CWNE # 98 – @travis_schlafkek, Travis Schlafke
CWNE # 99 – @ckitbrown, Chris W. Brown

CWNE 100 – 109

CWNE # 100 – @DaveTheWifi, David Cook
CWNE # 101 – @samuel_clements, Samuel Clements
CWNE # 102 – @??????, Terry Tam
CWNE # 103 – @Srynearson, Sean Rynearson
CWNE # 104 – @carpentertom, Tom Carpenter
CWNE # 105 – @??????, Ken Lim
CWNE # 106 – @TRitterbush, Tim Ritterbush
CWNE # 107 – @??????, Thet Lwin
CWNE # 108 – @Globeron, Ronald van Kleunen
CWNE # 109 – @??????, Derrick Monahan

CWNE 111 – 119

CWNE # 110 – @??????, Paul Finlay
CWNE # 111 – @??????, Arun Wadhawan
CWNE # 112 – Unknown, Chuck Lukaszewski
CWNE # 113 – @MacdonaldWiTS, Neil Mac
CWNE # 114 – @_TyBowser, Ty Bowser
CWNE # 115 – @??????, Erik Lubinger
CWNE # 116 – @??????, Lee Johnson
CWNE # 117 – @Cinergywifi, Jared Griffith
CWNE # 118 – @leomezza, Leonardo Mezzanotti
CWNE # 119 – @eightotwo, Robert Bartz

CWNE 120 – 129

CWNE # 120 – @??????, Anthony Blasse
CWNE # 121 – @??????, Carlos Alcantara
CWNE # 122 – @teosak, Theofilos Sakoulias
CWNE # 123 – @ryanstevedsouza , Ryan D’souza
CWNE # 124 – @??????, Tim Rowley
CWNE # 125 – @JasonFernyc, Jason Fernyc
CWNE # 126 – @??????, Marko Tisler
CWNE # 127 – @??????, Jaromir Likavec
CWNE # 128 – @??????, Scott D Swist, Jr.
CWNE # 129 – @papageordy, Alan Blake

CWNE 130 – 139

CWNE # 130 @??????, Dick Andersson
CWNE # 131 @travispbonfigli, Travis Bonfigli
CWNE # 132 – @scottpstapleton, Scott Stapleton
CWNE # 133 – @Aliyoussef_, Ali Youssef
CWNE # 134 – @ZHUZHILI, Kevin Zhu
CWNE # 135 – @WifiNigel, Nigel Bowden
CWNE # 136 – @WiFivomFranMan, Kevin Franzen
CWNE # 137 – @??????, Janet Rae
CWNE # 138 – @dot11Nate, Nathan York
CWNE # 139 – @??????, Erik Klaubert

CWNE 140 – 149

CWNE # 140 – @??????, Claudia Ibarra
CWNE # 141 – @WiFiJeffK, Jeffrey Kuehn
CWNE # 142 – @wifidownunder, Aaron Scott
CWNE # 143 – @cdtwietmeyer, Charlie Twietmeyer
CWNE # 144 – @cradford86, Chris Radford
CWNE # 145 – @??????, Zahari Georgiev
CWNE # 146 – @wirelessnext, Viten Patel
CWNE # 147 – @Brett_CWNE_147, Brett Hill
CWNE # 148 – @VoFi_Martin, Martin Ericson
CWNE # 149 – @BenWocks, Ben Wocks

150 CWNEs – 19-Oct-2014

CWNE # 150 – @mike_albano, Mike Albano
CWNE # 151 – @??????, Nicolò Venchierutti
CWNE # 152 – @blakekrone, Blake Krone
CWNE # 153 – @mrncciew, Rasika Nayanajith
CWNE # 154 – @jasper_khc, Jasper Cheng
CWNE # 155 – @theog150, Darren Johnson
CWNE # 156 – @wifikiwi, Chris Lyttle
CWNE # 157 – @YFiAlan, Alan Klein
CWNE # 158 – @seppidittli, Seppi Dittli
CWNE # 159 – @blong1, Brian Long

160 CWNEs – 12-March-2015

CWNE # 160 – @HeyEddie, Eddie Forero
CWNE # 161 – @jsnyder81, Jake Snyder
CWNE # 162 – @howusu02, Henry Owusu Karikari
CWNE # 163 – @cajundop, Jeff Haydel
CWNE # 164 – @RockstarWifi, Chris Avants
CWNE # 165 – @??????, Thomas Larsen
CWNE # 166 – @Wifi_Framework, Adrian McCaskill
CWNE # 167 – @TimRousset, Tim Rousset
CWNE # 168 – @??????, Jeff Chua
CWNE # 169 – @ramk0808, Ram Krishnan

170 CWNEs – 15-December-2015

CWNE # 170 – @invisiblecables, Phil Sosaya
CWNE # 171 – @EmperorWiFi, Jason Hintersteiner
CWNE # 172 – @WifiGuy502, Trent Hurt
CWNE # 173 – @ttyparker, Ty Parker
CWNE # 174 – @MarekKrauze, Marek Krauze
CWNE # 175 – @ruwanindika, Ruwan Indika
CWNE # 176 – @JonHurtt, Jonathan Hurtt
CWNE # 177 – @WiFiNut, Steve Evans
CWNE # 178 – @m_sysmalainen, Matti Sysmalainen
CWNE # 179 – @jamesgarringer , James Garringer

180 CWNEs – 21-April-2016

CWNE # 180 – @VergesFrancois, Francois Verges
CWNE # 181 – @grcate, Glenn Cate
CWNE # 182 – @jealjn, Jeal Jimenez
CWNE # 183 – @JimVajda, Jim Vajda
CWNE # 184 – @cdunbar, Chris Dunbar
CWNE # 185 – @firemywires, Trent Cutler
CWNE # 186 – @moisesrb77, Moises Rodriguez
CWNE # 187 – @Ferney_Munoz, Ferney Munoz
CWNE # 188 – @robrobstation, Robert Krumm
CWNE # 189 – ????, Michael Combs

190 CWNEs – 22-Sept-2016

CWNE # 190 – @CdnBeacon, Brennan Martin
CWNE # 191 – @neilos1985, Neil McRae
CWNE # 192 – @ajnurcombe, AJ Nurcombe
CWNE # 193 – ????, Farzon Vafa
CWNE # 194 – @WiFiNetizen, Zhang Shuang
CWNE # 195 – @jnassiry, Mohammad Nassiry
CWNE # 196 – ????, Pierre Martin
CWNE # 197 – @mattbfrederick, Matt Frederick
CWNE # 198 – @NoLANWiFi, Nolan Herring
CWNE # 199 – ????, DeWayne Williams

200 CWNEs – 04-Nov-2016

CWNE # 200 – @Wirednot, Lee Badman
CWNE # 201 – ????, Andrew Shipton
CWNE # 202 – ????, Romany Faheem
CWNE # 203 – ????, Xie Qing
CWNE # 204 – ????, ????
CWNE # 205 – ????, Justin Peterson
CWNE # 206 – ????, Bin Han
CWNE # 207 – ????, ????
CWNE # 208 – ????, ????
CWNE # 209 – @JDewath, Jesse DeWath

210 CWNEs – 22-Dec-2016

CWNE # 210 – @rowelldionicio, Rowell Dionicio
CWNE # 211 – ????, Will K.
CWNE # 212 – ????, Charles Lewis
CWNE # 213 – ????, Stefan Angerer
CWNE # 214 – ????, ????
CWNE # 215 – ????, ????
CWNE # 216 – ????, ????

CWNE Count

There are currently fewer than 250 CWNEs worldwide. Info from CWNP.com below.

The CWNE credential is the final step in the CWNP Program. By successfully completing the CWNE requirements, you will have demonstrated that you have the most advanced skills available in today’s enterprise Wi-Fi market.

The CWNE certification assures that you have mastered all relevant skills to administer, install, configure, troubleshoot, and design wireless network systems. Protocol analysis, intrusion detection and prevention, performance and QoS analysis, spectrum analysis and management, and advanced design are some of the areas of expertise you will need to know.

CWNE Count (updated: December 22, 2016): 216 (source)

Twitter IDs Other of WiFi/WLAN Experts

Twitter IDs of Cisco Systems CCIE (Wireless) Experts

Twitter IDs of Aruba Networks Experts (ACMX, ACDX)

Free WiFi Scanner for iPhone and iPad Without Jailbreak

iPhone and iPad users with iOS 7 and iOS 8 now have a way to view WiFi scan info (SSID, BSSID, RSSI, Channel) on devices. Prior to this AirPort Utility update only SSID and BSSID information was available on app store apps (non jailbreak apps).

Follow steps below to access to this new capability.

Download AirPort Utility App

Download the Apple AirPort Utility from iPhone/iPad app store.

Navigate to Settings > AirPort Utility > Turn on “Wi-Fi Scanner” mode

Accessing WiFi Scan Feature

Launch AirPort Utility app and top right will show “Wi-Fi Scan” option in blue.

Select scan duration from 10 to 60 seconds or continuous scanning.

Scanning Mode

Scan History

Click a row to view signal history for BSSID/access point.

Channel Usage Summary

Channel usage summary can be viewed by clicking “i”/info button on bottom right after stopping scan.

Scan History Export

CSV export of SSID, BSSID, RSSI, Channel, Timestamp.

Free WiFi Scanner for Windows

We are looking for beta testers for version 1.1 of our Windows WiFi Scanner. If you are interested please download using link below. Send bug reports support@accessagility.com.

1) Download Windows WiFi Scanner zip file though beta program social media campaign.
2) Uncompress
3) Install WiFiScanner.msi

One of the nicer capabilities of Windows compared to Mac OS WiFi Scanners is the ability to detect hidden networks.

2.4 GHz Channel Graph

5 GHz Channel Graph

RSSI vs. Time Graph

Cisco Live 2014 WiFi Network

Below is information about Cisco Live 2014 WiFi network

SSID: CiscoLive2014
Security: PSK
Access Points: 890 total Access Points (270 High Density Access Points (AP3700))
2.4 GHz: 11n, 20 MHz Channels, 3 streams
5 GHz: 11ac, 80 MHz Channels, 3 streams
Antennas: Dual band patch antennas
Controllers: 3 8510 WLCs in a HA pair with AP and Client SSO (7.6.110.0)
Coverage: 2.5 million sq ft, 442,000 sq ft with High Density APs and Antennas.
Management: 6 MSEs, 3 CAS and 3 CMX Analytics, Prime Infrastructure 1.4 in HA.

Photos of various mounting scenarios. I took some of these photos and grabbed others from tweets.

Single 3702 Access Point with Patch Antenna

Dual 3702 Access Point with Patch Antenna

Single 3702 Access Point with Patch Antenna Plus Camera

Dual Access Points in Signage

Single Access Point with Stadium Antenna / AIR-ANT2513P4M-N

WiFi Scanner Results

Super Light Physical Site Survey Kit

The results of a physical site survey or environment site survey is the physical characteristics of a building or location. My super fast (and cheap) way to conduct a physical site survey involves using mostly low tech gear below.

1) Small Dry-Erase Board – Pick up a pack of 10 melamine boards from Amazon in case one gets lost or damaged. Melamine boards without a plastic case are very light weight and fit easily into a laptop bag.

2) Dry-Erase Markers – Sometimes it is easier to take notes by hand. Good info to record is location, rack, room, equipment, and network details.

3) Smartphone/Camera – A picture is worth a thousand words. Use a camera/smartphone to take photos of the environment.

1) Electrician’s Tape or Painter’s Tape – Mark locations with tape and take a picture to record desired equipment or cable termination location.

WiFi Speed Test Lab Setup

Creating a lab environment for speed testing doesn’t require many devices. Listed below are the testing components needed for even the most complex testing scenarios.

Device Under Test (DUT) – What is being tested (client or access point)
Sender / Client / Source / Endpoint – Device sending data
Receiver / Server / Destination / Endpoint – Device for receiving test data
Console – Device used to control tests starts, stops, and view results. In many cases the client/receiver can also be the console.
Test Software – Software installed on clients, receiver, and console if applicable.
Networking Components – Switches for connecting devices.

Below is photo of setup above with an access point that has an integrated switch.

For more info on actual testing process and procedures see this post on low cost / free software for WiFi throughput testing or watch video below.

WLAN Pros Summit 2014 | Zaib Kaleem Best Practices for Throughput Testing.

WiFi Speed Chart

WiFi / 802.11 has been around since 1997 and was originally only capable of 1 to 2 Mbps. Since then multiple technology improvements have been made to the specification and technology to allow for much higher data rates. Listed below are the maximum WiFi speeds of various 802.11 technologies.

802.11 (legacy) – 1 to 2 Mbps
802.11b – 11 Mbps (2.4 GHz)
802.11g – 54 Mbps (2.4 GHz)
802.11a – 54 Mbps (5 GHz)
802.11n – 600 Mbps (2.4 and 5 GHz)
802.11ac (wave 1) = 1300 Mbps (5 GHz, 80 MHz, 3 streams)
802.11ac (wave 2) = 6933 Mbps (5 GHz, 160 MHz, 8 streams)
802.11ad = 7 Gbps (60 GHz)

The speeds above are sometimes known by different names based on the operating system.

Mac OS = “Transmit Rate”

Windows 7 & 8 = “Speed”

Android “Link Speed”

Regardless of the operating system, the above WiFi speeds are all what is known as PHY speeds..or the rate of the wireless connection. The speed the user/application will experience is typically called throughput and can be measured using WiFi speed test tools.

New York City Public Pay Phone WiFi 2014

New York City Pay Phone WiFi 2014

Based on this FAQ, New York City Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) regulates the 9,903 active public pay telephones on or over the City’s sidewalks. Of that number, 5,359 are in Manhattan, 1,659 in Queens, 1,691 in Brooklyn, 1,114 in the Bronx and 80 in Staten Island.

All of the pay phones are owned and operated by 11 franchisees that maintain the public phones in a shared revenue model. The City receives 36% of the net revenue from advertising on public pay telephones. The City is also provided with 2% of the total number of advertising panels for public service advertisements which promote the programs of various City agencies.

The franchise contracts expire on October 15, 2014 and the city plans to award new contracts that go through June 24, 2026 that will provide provide free Wi-Fi, free calling to 911 and 311, and provide at least $17.5 million in annual city revenue.

The previous RFI from 2012 is can be found here

The new RFP can be found here. Response is due June 30, 2014, at 5:00 PM EST 🙂

Both RFI and RFP aren’t very interesting reads except for question # 9 from the RFI.

Can cellular technology be used effectively on kiosks to provide wireless communications that result in minimal disruption to the City’s streets? Are there other technologies that can be used that are not dependent on cabling under the streets to provide enhanced advertising or communications?

Several of the existing franchisees responded that they are already using cellular data to manage advertising boards and cellular data is preferred over using existing lines due to ease of maintenance and implementation.

My guess is that unless the future franchisees are telecom providers with high speed data access to public phone locations they will probably rely on cellular data for back hauling the 10,000 access points and result in a slow WiFi experience that will become unusable if more than 5-10 devices connect WiFi enabled pay phone location.

The only thing worse than no WiFi is slow WiFi Internet.