Aruba Networks, Babylon provide WiFi for US soldiers in Iraq

Aruba Networks already installed the "world's largest" WLAN network at The Ohio State University, but its latest deployment just seems strangely more, how do we say... patriotic. Tag-teaming with Babylon Telecommunications, the pair has rolled out a WiFi network that will provide internet access to over 20,000 US soldiers at Joint Base Balad in Iraq. Believe it or not, there was no existing authorized web access at the base before these two stepped in, but thanks to a contract awarded by the Army & Air Force Exchange Services (AAFES), troops at the largest US military base in the region can now e-mail loved ones with ease, test their ping times from the sandbox and join a few online poker tournaments during down time.

[Via InformationWeek, image courtesy of DefenseLink]

[Seanross @ Sep 24th 2008 3:17AM]

Good for our troops. I know some people have the mentality that our soldiers need to be fighting and shooting 24/7 and this will just help them goof off. But it's a job like any other (however dangerous it may be), and they need a break from the hell that is war.

[Jash Sayani @ Sep 24th 2008 3:18AM]

Nice. Maybe the enemy can try to hack the WiFi network and monitor messages sent through mail.

[thazlett @ Sep 24th 2008 3:22AM]

cool :)

[Erocko @ Sep 24th 2008 3:26AM]

awesome. I am glad someone has stepped up to do this for them. I have a friend who was there for two tours. He would have loved this. Good stuff, but i kinda wonder how it never happened earlier

[Dave Chappelle @ Sep 24th 2008 5:35AM]

"just seems strangely more, how do we say... patriotic"

I reckon. Geez they are just admirable. they have been awarded a contract (by the US government) which will pay them 10 times more than what is necessary! and they have accepted. Good on ya 'Babylon' and 'Aruba' telecoms. How have they stepped up? they were probably in desperate competition with like 1000 other companies who were offering.
As soon as Haliburton said they would not do it the Gov prob just picked these two out of a hat.

[OneLove @ Sep 24th 2008 11:20AM]

Well said Dave. It so funny how you can use a few well placed keywords and omissions on some people and they just fold. Use your own brains!!

[Underscore @ Oct 5th 2008 3:56PM]

I heard they've tried several times before. The towers kept getting blown up...

[Aleks Clark @ Sep 24th 2008 3:33AM]

hahahaha, I've used babylon's 'internet services' in Baghdad.

Luckily for the soldiers in Balad, there are several 'unauthorized' services that won't be horribly overpriced, and at least provide some diversity. Many times, soldiers who are a bit knowledgeable in the IT dept will buy a VSAT system and farm out wired internet access. (protip: wireless sucks when you've got hummers driving around with RF jammers)

[Brent Schmidt @ Sep 24th 2008 3:49AM]

Nice, I'm heading over there in the next month or so...

[Ed @ Sep 27th 2008 5:08AM]

We get decent wireless where I am stationed, however the reception turns to crap inside buildings. The service in Kuwait was sub-par. Our Company went with a SAT system that we're mostly happy with, but WiFi across the base would be nice.

[Gabriel @ Sep 24th 2008 3:49AM]

These guys need to make their way to Baghdad. I haven't had wifi access for the 4 months I've been here. It's getting old having to walk a mile to the internet cafe just to upload pictures I send to friends and family. Even then, I have to put up with speeds that make dial-up look good.

[Wwhat @ Sep 24th 2008 4:59AM]

Get unionized.

[Timchula @ Sep 24th 2008 6:45AM]

Hey look a C-17, man its sad thats the first thing I noticed :(. I have my doubts anytime the military lets us have freedoms in the desert, there will be some heavy stipulations to this I guarantee it.

[BlahBlah @ Sep 24th 2008 7:29AM]

What's funny about all this, is that AAFES has rejected other companies coming in to provide internet access for everyone on Joint Base Balad. This article is making them sound "Patriotic" when in fact that have denied other companies from providing that do provide for other camps across Anaconda. I am not impressed with AAFES and they should not be praised in this article. The military could have had internet access a long time ago if AAFES(Balad) wouldn't have been greedy.

[Goat Law @ Sep 24th 2008 9:18AM]

You mean The Can't Beat The SEC University

[nyghtmare @ Sep 24th 2008 9:37AM]

Remember kids....THE rhymes with DUH!

[Brian D. Johnson @ Sep 24th 2008 10:00AM]

What this story leaves out is that our soldiers are being charged $60 / month for internet service. $60 / month? First we send them off to war and make them buy their own body armour and now we're charging them $60 / month to write home to their families. It is a shame and pity that war profiteers like Aruba are able to get away with this sort of thing.

By the way, I wonder why engadjet didn't report the fact that our soldiers are being charged for this service. I found out by reading the press release.

[AAFESBlows @ Sep 24th 2008 10:17AM]

What else is failed to mention, AAFES would not let ANY other internet provider on the base. They hold the contracts for everything and anything on a military base. also, AAFES is the one that profits off the soldiers any way they can. i wouldn't so much say anything Aruba, that i could not say to much. but i can say i have been on Joint Base Balad for four years now. I just feel bad for the sodiers getting ripped off by AAFES jacking up the price on anything they can

[Erly @ Sep 24th 2008 11:09AM]

Its probably not free, friend of mine over there says he has to pay $200 a month for internet for his laptop if he doesn't want to share a computer with everyone else. limiting him to 20min usage each time.

[MAJSlacker @ Sep 24th 2008 1:07PM]

I am at Taji, which is halfway between the bases in Baghdad and Balad. Am currently writing my a wireless connection (well, I am wired into a router that is connected to a Line of Site antenna to a dish about 2 miles away).

It works pretty well - costs between $50 and $189 a month depending on the speed that you choose. I have used the $100 a month package for several months, and been satisfied overall - it is nice to have the internet to myself in my little room. By the way, I use Tigris Net.

There is another company (that is sanctioned by the base - mine comes from a semi-authorized source) called USComz that is also here but I have not used them.

I don't mind paying the money. Really. Do I wish it was a tad cheaper - sure. Do I think they folks offering this are making a killing? Absolutely. However, like anything else, things cost more. An AT&T phone card here costs a lot more to use than in the U.S., and folks don't complain about that. They are just happy that they can call home from the phone banks here.

Additionally, there are internet cafes at every base that are run by the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation offices (MWR). Additionally, nearly every remote outpost has a SPAWARE cafe, which allows internet for free and phone calls for very cheap.

So, that is what I know to be true here. It's not perfect, but it is not bad.

Cheers (from Iraq)

Major Chris

P.S. Lest ye feel bad for me, I should be out of here in a few weeks, as my tour is almost done.

[Rhino @ Sep 24th 2008 1:14PM]

There's been MWR facilities there for years, see http://oif.spawareurope.net/news_3-10-2003.htm - now upwards of 700+ cafes throughout Iraq and Afghanistan - each cafe has about 20 computers (which are free to use) and 6 VoIP phones with service being provided by IDT at around $0.04 a minute to the States.

At one point AAFES only sold AT&T phone cards, the cards that use to charge $0.21 a minute to the States http://blog.tomevslin.com/2006/03/att_is_ripping_.html - didn't they do the same for for-pay Internet cafes?

[Adam Wroblaski @ Sep 24th 2008 8:28PM]

Surf with ease? If by "with ease" you mean watch my signal go up and down from full to zero every minute... I tried using it; ended up going in on a sat connection

[Chris @ Sep 25th 2008 2:23PM]

I wouldn't mind $60/month

This would be perfect to use your iPhone on to even call home via VOIP.

[fontendet24 @ Sep 27th 2008 7:20PM]

This whole war in Iraq is wrong and real occupation of foreign country - also the rude break of American Bill of the rights and Constitution.
Who's replaced nazis these days with their whole world domination policy? The answer is simple - US of A.

Bush must be in jail by the UN law after ending of his presidency - that is the real justice. But i don't think that this will happen...

How many people in the world american government needs to kill - to provide quiet and stable life in their country?
Billions and billions...as dollars that they already lost and spent.