Turn-key WiFi Hotspots
Q. What is a hotspot?
A. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotspot_(Wi-Fi)
Q. Where would they be set up ?
A Hotels, cafes. Anywhere there is a semi- public space. Libraries. Student Hostels etc
Q. How easy are they to set up?
A. Using the Skyrove system, they are very easy. If you complete our questionnairre prior to purchase we'll set everything up for you. This includes account names and passwords etc. You'll then just need to plug the hotspot into your cable or ADSL modem or router and it should just work. We'll talk you through any issues.
Q. And the cost?
A. A$155 inc GST + freight
Q. How much revenue is generated by user?
A Under the skyrove (www.skyrove.com) system, the user pays on a per MByte basis. You can choose your own rates. For instance if you set it to $2.00 per MB, this would generate $10 per hour for an average user.
Q How is the revenue shared?
A. 50-50 between the hotspot owner and RFShop/Skyrove
Q. Suppose I want to offer a free hotspot?
A. You won't need a hotspot as such. You'll just need an access point which we can pre-set up for about $130 inc GST. This should be set up on a different sub-net to maintain the privacy of files on your own network. You'll still need to be careful though. Modern wireless is very fast and it won't take long for someone to use GBytes of data! In countries where GBytes are cheap, like the USA, this may not be a problem. In Australia this is still not generally the case. You can add security with a password etc but you run the risk of it being cracked. Even if a user has the password legitimately, many GBytes of data can be quickly downloaded if you do not have good BW management.
Q. I already have a hotspot. The BW management is very poor and it is difficult to keep track of user usage. Is this better?
A. Yes. Poor bandwidth management is a very common problem in many existing hotspots. There are add-ons which you can use such as softperfect bandwidth manager http://www.softperfect.com/products/bandwidth/. You need to add an 'internet gate' in the form of a fixed PC with the software loaded. It needs a bit of expertise but it can be done. The advantage of Skyrove is that you don't have to run any PCs, or add any expensive equipment, or worry about BW management. Users can still download as much as they like, but they have to pay for it.
Q. How do the customers pay?
A Either on-line by credit card or Paypal, or by using pre-paid printed vouchers.
Q Are Hotspots legal?
A There is usually no problem if you own, say, a cafe and wish to set up a hotspot for your own customers sitting on the premises. Where there may be a problem is if you add a high gain antenna, which is quite easy to do, beaming the signal elsewhere to set up a remote hotspot. You may want to check the law for yourself. Start with: http://www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD/pc=PC_1794
See also this discussion on Whirlpool
Q What about my ISP?
A Some ISPs do not allow resale of their BW on certain plans. You'll need to check this out with them. You'll also need to keep track of your usage when operating a WiFi-Hotspot. Choose the right plan to avoid going over your allocation as this can be expensive.