SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- Mountain View, California-based Tropos Networks has set up a network of some 70 meshed routers throughout the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca. The network was placed there for Hajjis -- Muslims who travel from all over the world each year in observance of Hajj week.
The free WiFi network is temporary, according to reports, and is the first ever constructed in Mecca.
More than 2 million people make the pilgrimage to Mecca each year. The Hajj week ends today, but the network will remain in place for two more weeks.
The MeccaNet (my name, not theirs) consists of Tropos 5210 mesh routers that support 802.11a, b and g devices.
If I had known about this earlier, I would have converted to Islam and made the pilgrimage just to try it.