What’s a SPAN?

SPAN stands for Spontaneous Area Network. It refers to an ad-hoc network that can be created or can be joined opportunistically to connect to other users that are close by.

Coverage depends on many factors including the geography, indoor/outdoor environment, node density, etc. A miraveo network can connect people within their WiFi reach, and can extend their coverage in adjacent hops through collaborative connection management.

How are SPANs built?

Miraveo exploits the standard WiFi spectrum and device availability to create robust and reliable networks spontaneously wherever you are. Users around you who have miraveo-enabled WiFi devices will be able to recognize your presence locally and communicate with you, without the need for WiFi/broadband access or cell phone infrastructure.

Is the technology robust?

Yes. Miraveo has patented the networking technology and techniques that allows truly mobile users to connect with many other users within their WiFi “cloud”, transforming ad-hoc networking into a reliable and robust communication platform for local users.

Is the technology scalable?

Yes. Users can organize themselves into multiple public and private groups and switch between these and other active groups. Users can also extend their connections to miraveo users several hops away — with reliable connections provided by miraveo’s cooperative networking software techniques. The number of users supported per network is similar to users accessing typical WiFi Access points on a routine basis.

How do I install miraveo?

Simple – miraveo is an application that can be downloaded from the web, or transmitted between WiFi devices directly. A simple registration for your name and avatar is all you need to get started connecting with everyone around you.

How is it better than 3G?

Miraveo actually extends the benefits of 3G networks to a far broader audience. 3G is good for person to person communication, and is designed to provide broadband access, however it isn’t ubiquitous, different carriers use alternative technologies, it can be expensive, and for high bandwidth services, it isn’t reliable. 3G/GPS services are only available on select mobile phones and networks, and cannot provide presence information of all local users. Finally the power consumption required for GPS location far exceeds that required for local WiFi connections and it can't be used inside buildings.

The spectrum of WiFi on the other hand, is broader and offers a bandwidth an order of magnitude greater. This is ideal for high bitrate services such as mobile games and video streaming. Wifi is also a global standard. It can be found everywhere, doesn’t require different carrier plans, and is available at many hotspots for free or for a nominal fee. Furthermore, WiFi enabled devices are rapidly growing due to the increasing availability of WiFi technology being installed in all sorts of personal communications devices (WiFi enabled MP3 players, Sony PSP, etc.), allowing direct communication between a variety of devices. miraveo’s technology exploits the value of WiFi services by allowing direct peer-to-peer communications between devices and bypassing any network infrastructure.

Wifi and 3G are designed for different applications, WiFi technology compliments 3G services by extending the reach of services beyond cell phone coverage, and provides a different dimension to social networking and location-based services.

Why would people use a miraveo network?

Interacting personally with people around you is one of the most common day to day activities. People are interested in local news, chatting with friends, coworkers and neighbors, and other activities that connects them with their local environment.

We extend many of the social networking aspects of existing technologies to add a new dimension to a user's natural social interactions. People are already using different technologies (and paying for many of them) for the same types of activities, so there is no learning curve required for these services. Miraveo provides a convenient platform that extends and enhances current services that people use daily, and adapts it to a mobile lifestyle.

Is it secure?

Miraveo is about building and using networked communities – you can see people around you and connect as desired. The nature of communities is that they are open forums. However when private conversations are desired, a user can restrict access for private groups and individual chats – requiring password access for someone to join. As with any other shared mediums, sensitive information should be handled carefully. Be smart about how you share important information.

As for applications running on a miraveo SPAN, the application itself, or the endpoints will typically handle most security related issues – in the same way that a transaction via wireless laptops is handled.

I don’t want people to track me the way they can with GPS, how does miraveo prevent this?

Unlike applications that track you with GPS (in some cases, as a paid service), on a miraveo network you only broadcast your general local presence to groups you opt into.

People around you only have a general idea that you’re around, but it’s up to you to decide if you want to give specifics.