Wi-Fi Nation: Comcast Begins Wireless Roll-Out
High-Speed 2go service coming to Chicago later this year
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With wi-fi everywhere, the tablet PC's moment may have finally arrived.
With the number of wi-fi enabled devices growing by leaps and bounds, more and more people find themselves wanting their wireless network to follow them wherever they go -- and Comcast is trying to do just that.
They're rolling out wireless Internet service Tuesday in Portland, Ore., with plans to add three other cities -- including Chicago -- by the end of the year. That would mean an end to seeking out random coffee houses that will let you surf for the price of a cup of java.
Comcast is the first major cable operator to roll out wireless broadband. The service offers speeds of up to 4 megabits per second and is carried over the 4G network of Clearwire Corp. where it's offered. Elsewhere, it will use Sprint Nextel Corp.'s 3G network coast-to-coast.
Comcast High-Speed 2go Metro service is on promotion for $49.95 a month for a year and includes Comcast's wired Internet home service and a Wi-Fi router. The regular price is about $73 a month.
Once it's available in Chicago, you'll have the option to get wireless service anywhere in the metro area. You can expand the wireless coverage even further by paying $20 more for nation-wide wireless internet on the Sprint network.
In addition to Portland and Chicago, Comcast also plans to offer the service in Philadelphia and Atlanta later this year.
Copyright Associated Press / NBC Chicago
Posted Monday, Jun 29, 2009 - 3:19 PM CST
