Wi-Fi Networking News reported that Cometa will wind down its WiFi network which had an estimated 250 locations here in the New York Metropolitan Area and Seattle. The model that they were using was to be a “wholesale” public WiFi operator, meaning that they would build and operate public WiFi networks for resale by their partners, including companies like Barnes & Noble and McDonalds.
One of the things that came out in CNET’s coverage of the announcement is that many analysts feel that public WiFi access only works as an add-on to other wireless services that a customer already subscribes to. This may be true at the moment. It’s hard to get people other than technical sales people, real estate agents, and other mobile professionals to pay for hot spot access right now.