Intel have done a fantastic marketing job with their recent TV ads for Centrino laptops and wireless networking. They've convinced half the country that the bloke on the advert who had a Centrino laptop in the middle of the north pole really was getting full-speed broadband simply using a satellite thousands of miles up in the sky and his 'wireless enabled' Centrino laptop. Allegedly, no, there wasn't a 20ft wide satellite receiver dish behind the cameraman. And, apparently, yes, Internet wireless "hotspots" do go as far as the north pole.

I'm now being asked about this and I want someone to confirm that I'm not being overly cynical and that, in fact, the technology is there only in theory and not in reality.

OK, don't laugh but I've been approached by someone who wants to live in a caravan in Sussex for a couple of years (don't ask, it's a long story!). They want to get a laptop with wireless broadband on it. Unless the caravan is parked next to a "hotspot" (rather than in the middle of a field) or they phone up BT and get them to install satellite ADSL using a 5ft wide dish (on the top of the caravan!) like we've just had installed at our rural office, then they can't do this, can they?!

WiMax is what you are seeing, not Wi-Fi 802.11A/B/G. WiMax is the Wireless broadband Intel and others are working on. I believe A routers are 500 ft and B/G routers are about 300ft. WiMax is like broadband ADSL but wireless and the standard hasnt been established other than as a prelim. It uses different radios than Wi-Fi.

So I'm right in thinking there's nothing publicly available that could get a signal to rural Sussex?!

Not as far as Intel has...its just a pipe dream for now.

OK, thanks AphJN