Of the 10 providers we contacted, only AT&T Wireless declined to participate, saying its network is in too early a stage of buildout. (Our RFI and vendor responses are available here).

The field consisted of two types of providers: aggregators (Boingo, Gric and iPass) that resell services and network operators (the rest). Many of the operators have roaming agreements with one another to broaden coverage. Nearly all the providers

• Use IEEE 802.11b

• Intend to migrate to market-leading technologies such as 802.11a and g

• Offer a variety of pricing options, including low-commitment, month-by-month, or even hour-by-hour, plans

• 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,").

As for facilitating roaming between operators, most pointed to the Wi-Fi Alliance's ongoing but as yet incomplete efforts, referred to as Wireless ISP Roaming, or WISPr, though none has yet implemented support for WISPr. Note also that roaming is not necessarily bilateral--just because Provider A allows access for Provider B's customers does not mean Provider B will return the favor.

Boingo's on Target

Selecting the service provider that best addressed the needs of MSE proved challenging, but after perusing the RFIs, we selected aggregator Boingo Wireless as our Editor's Choice. Boingo delivered a clean RFI response that clearly answered all our questions and provided MSE with good coverage options, flexible pricing and innovative client software. MSE will pay more with Boingo than if it went directly to the network operators, but in exchange Boingo supplies connectivity at a wide variety of locations, including restaurants, hotels and airports. We also liked Boingo's pricing plans (see its plan details). Finally, Boingo provides innovative client software that facilitates the use of hotspots. The company has done a good job in this area--T-Mobile Hotspot has contracted with Boingo Wireless for software for its network.

We want to make clear, however, that customers with even a slightly varied set of selection criteria could easily select a different provider. Each brings a unique set of strengths, whether it be global coverage, dial-up options, low costs, restaurant/coffee-shop emphasis, full ISP services or cellular integration.