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Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi® is a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) technology. It primarily provides short-range wireless high-speed data connections between mobile data devices (such as laptops, PDAs or phones) and nearby Wi-Fi access points (special hardware connected to a wired network).
There are several variants of 802.11. The most common is 802.11b, which provides speeds up to 11 Mbps. 802.11g and 802.a are faster versions. Many 802.11g and 802.11a products are backward-compatible with the original 802.11b.
Wi-Fi is generally much faster than data technologies operating over the cellular network like GPRS, EDGE, 1xRTT, HSDPA, and EV-DO.
It is much shorter-range, however. Wi-Fi coverage is only provided in small, specific areas called "hot spots". Other than some corporate or educational campuses, Wi-Fi coverage is not widespread. Range for a typical Wi-Fi base station (access point) is typically around 100 to 300 feet indoors and up to 2000 feet outdoors.
Most Wi-Fi operates in the 2.4 GHz unlicensed frequency band. This is the same band as Bluetooth and some cordless phones, although the technologies are designed to co-exist and not interfere. 802.11a operates in the 5 GHz unlicensed frequency band.
See: Unlicensed
Wi-Fi networks can be set up and operated by anyone, with different networks allowing different kinds of access. A public "hot spot" at an airport or coffee shop might charge an hourly rate for access. A hotel might offer free wi-fi to guests. A company or university might offer on-premises free access for verified employees/students. Or a home user could set up their own network to which only they had access.
While most Wi-Fi connections are between a mobile device and an access point, it is also possible to create an "ad-hoc" network directly among two or more devices, without an access point.
Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance, a nonprofit industry association. The IEEE technical specification for Wi-Fi is 802.11.
On this site, phones with UMA may not always have Wi-Fi also listed as a feature, even thought UMA may technically use Wi-Fi, since UMA is a very specific and limited implementation of Wi-Fi technology.
See: UMA
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