 |
Date: Dear Friend, Do you like shortcuts?
First, a little bit of history. My name is Ben Mannino, and I have been involved in the Public Internet Business for about as long as there has been an Internet. Back in the Stone Ages of 1996, my partner and I setup two Public Internet Access terminals in a local coffee shop. These were (at the time) top-of-the-line Pentium 133s with a whopping 64MB RAM. The Internet Access speed was a smoking 56K Dial-Up Line which would connect on demand as someone logged onto the machine. We charged about 10 cents per minute which was collected using standard vending machine dollar bill acceptors that were connected to the PC. Specialized software controlled the payment and timing of the Internet Access for each Public User. We split the income with the coffee shop owners 50/50. It turned out to be a surprisingly good business.
Now, no business is without it's share of hassles, and this was no different. One of the biggest challenges was the dollar bills jamming up in this custom-built metal box. When the bill acceptor jammed, the machine was turned off until we could get down there to clear the jam. We could have given a key to the location, but clearing the jams may have also cleared out our pockets, so we opted not to go that route. The
other problem we had was one that many business Two PCs was all we could afford at the time, and although we entertained the idea of adding more, the location didn't have the infrastructure to support any more than two. The logical next step for us was to replicate our success. We searched out new locations, and soon landed a deal with The Coffee Beanery - a coffee franchise similar to Starbucks. What started out as a test with a single location in Manhattan, soon expanded into locations ranging from LaGuardia Airport in New York all the way down the coast to Miami, FL. All the locations followed the same formula - one or two terminals with a dollar bill acceptor. Soon, we added the ability to accept credit cards as an alternative payment method. The dollar bill acceptors continued to be the payment method of choice, and unfortunately, the source of many maintenance calls as well. Income generated from the machines was rising, but so were our credit card bills. These locations didn't come cheap. The Beanery had a very elegant decor with limited space. We had no choice but to use LCD monitors and custom metal cabinets to fit the workstations into very tight areas. LCD monitors were a little more expensive back then, about $1000 for a 12" model!
We kept on borrowing, driving and flying to different locations, excited about the prospects that lie ahead for us. At the same time, the location in Manhattan was generating a lot of buzz. We were contacted by several people looking to do everything from adveritsing to joint ventures. One gentleman invited us to lunch in Manhattan to discuss the possibility of expanding into hotels. We jumped at the opportunity because we knew that many of our customers in the cafes came from nearby hotels. The demand was undeniable. We also were encouraged by not having to put up the full investment in equipment. That's when the business expanded into hotels nationwide. Our launching pad was The Paramount Hotel in New York City. This was one of several exclusive hotels owned by Ian Schrager, and soon we had placed machines in their hotel business centers in New York, Florida and California. The more machines we placed, the more phone calls we received from other hotels requesting a terminal for their lobby or business center. Despite the added financial help from our partner, we continued to invest in equipment to expand our network. Some locations did fantastic, others did OK. A few turned out to be total lemons, but we had no surefire way to know a good location from a bad one - we just said YES to anyone who asked! ..Hindsight
is 20/20 of course, but at the time we were We learned as we went along, constantly trying to find the magic formula to a winning business model. We finally did away with the dollar bill acceptors to eliminate the maintenance hassles. The hotels became our primary customers, and the credit card became our standard unit of purchase. The software that we had licensed on a per-machine basis was set aside in favor of a custom software solution that controlled all the billing and Internet Access from a single server. This was a major improvement to the profitability of this business model.
Figure A represents our original business model of having one fully configured workstation to service each customer. The problem was the costs. For each workstation, we found ourselves having to puchase an $800 PC, a $300 Software Package and a $400 Bill Acceptor for a grand total of $1500 per unit. This is not including the Internet costs, which in the case of locations using Dial-Up, we had to provide one line per machine. We
quickly realized that if we could somehow centralize This was easier said than done, because there was no such software solution available on the market at that time - it had to be custom built. It was an expensive project, but after almost a year in development, the server management software was complete. This immediately allowed us to introduce a much more cost effective model as shown in Figure B. Any PC could be a workstation - it only required the Operating System and a Web Browser. By hooking up a wireless access point, we could also control the billing and access for wireless customers - all with a single server! How did it work? Basically, the server would interrupt the Internet Access Line into the hotel (or other location) and act as a toll booth. If the user paid, they could get out to the Internet. For unpaid customers, they would be redirected to the web page(s) of our choosing. This "walled garden" as it has come to be known, was a great way to add help pages and advertisements later on. The system had its growing pains, but it was a huge improvement over its predecessor. The new system I am so excited about is nearly identical to this custom solution with one major difference - the software is 100% FREE!
I had to hit Refresh on my browser a few times just to make sure it wasn't a cruel joke by my web browser. The more I read, the more excited I became.. Someone finally solved the Public Internet Puzzle, and many were about to benefit. Now it was time to put the theory to the test - I had to build the complete system, and see it in action for myself. Could it really do all the things it said it could? I began assembling each piece of the puzzle in my own home, determined to find the answer.. The result? It absolutely blew me away! Keep in mind that I did not need to purchase even a single piece of proprietary hardware or software. I built it using and old PC, two network cards and my Wireless Access Point. I didn't even need a hard drive! You heard me right - no hard drive necessary. The server software runs off a single CD-ROM, burned directly from the ISO image on the Publisher's Web Site.
Best of all, this is a LINUX Based Solution! That alone satisfies my requirements for the system to be reliable, scalable, versatile, industry standard and inexpensive (can't get cheaper than FREE!). In fact, that's how I found them - I have been searching for a Linux-based solution for some time now. Linux is the perfect operating system for this type of application. How about user friendly? That's always been the Achilles Heel for Linux, and it's no wonder going up against the likes of Microsoft and Apple. I'm not going to sugar coat it - Linux takes a little bit of getting used to. The good news is once you get the hang of the server configuration, the clients won't know (or care) that Linux is running the show. Clients simply turn on their laptops and detect the wireless signal. They open up a web browser, and the server detects their attempt to go online. If the client isn't registered, the server automatically redirects them to the web page you specify. This page is most often some type of login page where the user must supply a userid and password. This userid/password is normally purchased at the front desk in the form of a paid or complimentary access card. The server handles all of these requests, making sure that each user is authenticated before being allows to access the Internet. The
best part is - the server will do all the work.
It
can even collect their payments automatically! If your business brain isn't percolating right now, please check your pulse. The revenue opportunities here are endless...
How many other businesses can produce this kind of revenue from a single PC and some networking equipment? Once you set up a few locations, just lather, rinse and repeat! Need a hand setting up that first location? No problem. I documented every step of the way for you - each piece of equipment, every cable connection and every web page configuration. You've probably had your fill of my writing, so I made the kit a multimedia package instead. I created a series of videos showing each stage of the assembly process, step-by-step. You can stop, pause and rewind your way through the material. If a picture is worth a thousand words, I'm hoping these videos are worth more. I think they are an excellent way to learn how to assemble computer equipment. It also gives you a permanent blueprint to follow for each location you setup and configure. Before long, you won't need the blueprints, but until then - they will be there for you. Worldwide demand for Wi-Fi is skyrocketing. That won't end anytime soon, either. By next year, there will most likely be over 40,000 hotspots amassing revenues of over $3 billion. How about a slice of that pie? Sure, there will be services offered by the mobile phone companies, but new technologies take time and money to evolve. Remember how they said Dial-Up would be dead by now? Ask Netzero and PeoplePC if this is true. Wi-Fi is here and it is hot. Here is a chance to jump into a scorching market at your own pace. Many businesses out there need your help. You see, they know Wi-Fi is fast becoming a necessary amenity for their customers. They know having Wi-Fi will help customers choose them over their competition. They also know it will keep them in their store longer, which often translates into more sales, and bigger profits. What they don't know, however, is how to best provide the service... That's Where You Come In...
Businesses Don't Cost A Lot - Mistakes Do. Failure is the key to success in any business. Huh? You heard me right. I guarantee you behind every business success story is a string of failures - beautiful failures that cleared a path through indecision and doubt. Wrong decisions are the foundation upon which success is built. They are expensive, though. I'm still paying for mine after several years, but I've learned not to fear failure. Like a band-aid, rip it off quick and get it overwith! You don't need to fail in this business. I've learned from my mistakes, and now you can too. Combine this fantastic product with my years of experience, and you have a winning formula for success. The price for all this? Your Price For This Money Making System Is Just $67
For
The Initial Product Launch,
Still not sure if this package is right for you? You have every right to be skeptical of any offer made online. That's why along with this product and The Insider's Guide, I'm offering my 60 day unconditional money-back guarantee:
Your success is my success. I will do anything and everything I can to help you get started. I have done my best to make this kit as easy to understand and user-friendly as possible. For any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me and I would be happy to help.
Best Regards, Benedetto
J. Mannino P.S. .Please keep in mind that every wifi hotspot you install creates a continous stream of monthly income. Its like renting property, but no expensive real estate to buy, and no tenants to worry about! P. P.S. .If this doesn't turn out to be the solution you were looking for, just email me within the next 60 days and I will refund every penny.
Copyright
© 2007 Media 1 Incorporated |
