Dell: Future of wireless is 802.11

LAS VEGAS - The future of wireless is in the IEEE 802.11 international standard for wireless LAN communications, at least if you ask Michael Dell.

Michael Dell, chairman and CEO of Dell Computer, speaking Tuesday at the CTIA Wireless 2001 conference organized by the Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association, said that wireless Ethernet has taken off. Over 50% of the company's notebooks sold today are equipped with an IEEE 802.11-compliant antenna hidden behind the screen.

"802.11 is taking off in a huge way," Dell said. "There is already broad use in hotel chains, Starbucks, airports, in the office and even in the home."

And Dell won't let his notebook computer be replaced by phones, either. "Phones are voice devices, and no matter how fast the data rate is, there's a limit to the amount of data you can read on the screen," he said.

Although he's a big supporter of IEEE 802.11, Dell hasn't written off other standards. "What we're all about is offering our customers the broadest groups of choices," he said. "Take the wired analogy: we offer dial-up, cable and DSL. We can do the same thing, only with wireless."

Dell sees a huge opportunity in convincing customers to switch over to wireless data communications, from fixed-line access, if it's approached correctly. "Our data customers are pretty used to a flat-rate pricing model, the new (wireless) one would have to be somewhat comparable to what they're used to," he said.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.