Business 2.0 writes about Vivato, which is “Vivato is developing innovative Wi-Fi switches that increase the range and security of Wi-Fi networking technology, making it more attractive for both service providers and networking companies.”
Unlike current Wi-Fi hotspots, which broadcast Internet access to a range of 300 feet, Vivato’s switches concentrate energy into several direct streams, increasing the range of Wi-Fi to several kilometers while allowing more users to access the stream simultaneously. “By transmitting in multiple frequency bands, we often see a 10x increase in range, sometimes in excess of several kilometers,” explains Vivato CEO Ken Biba. The increased range and capacity offered by Vivato’s switches makes them ideal for service providers and hotspot operators.
The big opportunity in emerging markets is to use a solution like Vivato’s for rural connectivity – linking up villages with WiFi. The costs will need to come down to about USD 200-300 (Rs 10-15,000) per village.
