Want Broadband With Your Fries?

The title says it all. ISP News posted an article today — “Want Broadband With Your Fries?” — describing Softbank’s move to put Wi-Fi into McDonald’s in Japan. Wi-Fi continues to move quickly as the hotspot technology of choice. Several US companies are doing the same thing, including Starbucks. One of the critical technologies that will have to emerge is universal identification between the providers. I’d hate to have to subscribe to three or five different Wi-Fi providers to get service. I see something similar to roaming service for cellular networks emerging for the Wi-Fi providers.