[CWN-Summit] Responses to Slate article

[Kari Gray]

It would be great if you all could cross-post your comments to our website,
www.CommonAssets.org. We posted the original article in the "Spectrum"
section for just that reason.

Thanks,
Kari

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From: <cwn-summit-request at cuwireless.net>
To: <cwn-summit at cuwireless.net>
Sent: Friday, September 17, 2004 10:00 AM
Subject: CWN-Summit Digest, Vol 2, Issue 11


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Today's Topics:

   1. Response to Slate article (Michael Oh)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2004 01:42:46 -0400
From: Michael Oh <oh at techsuperpowers.com>
Subject: [CWN-Summit] Response to Slate article
To: cwn-summit at cuwireless.net
Message-ID: <672995A6-086C-11D9-AA53-000A95CD64A2 at techsuperpowers.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; delsp=yes; format=flowed

I for one agree with Paul that Philly's plan for Wifi in the city is an
ill-conceived plan for providing city-wide free WiFi access.  I don't
agree that the future is so bleak, however.

I don't think that today's technology nor business models support the
Philly concept, and I think that the taxpayers will rebel against the
cost of a city wide network.  It's pure political positioning - which
is initially good for the community wireless networks, but quickly it
will turn against us, because it could be perceived as failure when
they have to scale back plans or once the incumbents start going nuts
on the city for taking their business.

Their lack of details about how they're going to do it doesn't provide
any confidence either.  Paul's supposition about WiFi's lack of range
indoors is true - how will a transmitter located 1/8 of a mile away
penetrate into my living room?  Will I need to buy a couple hundred
dollars worth of equipment to "receive" the signal and then amplify it
into my home?  Will I need an outside antenna?  What speeds?  Where
does the bandwidth come from if 100 homes per node are using the access
and expecting 1-3 Mbps speeds?

Without details, anyone announcing a city-wide network will risk that
the opponents will fill them in for you.  Mayors and city councillors
alike should be warned - do not say that you're going to do something
you don't have any concept on how to implement it.  They should become
educated, impart some of their knowledge on the press, and show the
opponents that they have a rock-solid case for how it should be done.

It's interesting to note the Boston was on this list of "other cities"
- when I think our concept is very very different.

As mentioned in a globe article:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/09/02/
councilor_envisions_citywide_wireless_web_access/

I actually showed Councilor Tobin a month ago how WiFi worked - and
although he too is prone to hyperbole by announcing that he'd like to
see a "citywide" network, there's one key difference here.

"According to Tobin's plan, the city would start out small, adding
antennas to the wireless 'hotzones' at Boston's public library branches
and some Boston schools, expanding their reach. But eventually, the
councilor wants the entire city to be wireless."

He proposes to start small, then expand from there (although he's still
shooting pretty high with the 'entire city' thing).  It's a smart move
- and one that I hope that all of you recommend to your municipal
leadership.  In Boston, we're focusing on developing with the city,
small hotzones around commercial areas using our corporate sponsored
network model.  Combined with larger networks stemming from city
libraries and schools, we hope to begin to see these networks
eventually fuse into larger networks.

Eventually, they may expand and 'go mesh,' but our first priority is
show WiFi working in key places - then the people will begin to drive
the demand, not the politicians.

Mike

On Sep 15, 2004, at 1:01 PM, cwn-summit-request at cuwireless.net wrote:

> http://www.slate.com/id/2106657/
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