Mesh Networks for Rural Connectivity?

pa_jones asks: "This recent article (author approved transcript) describes a potential low-cost wireless solution to rural/last mile internet connectivity in an Australian context using modified forms of Nokia's Rooftop mesh topology wireless routing transceivers, and low cost Cybiko hand-held gaming devices. I would be very interested to hear the community's opinion of this proposal in general, and specifically about the price effect of operating spectrum, data capacity, transmission distance and the complexity of the operating system required to drive the wireless routers/terminal devices/CPE. Given the collective ownership aspect of such mesh networks and their possible utility in rural and developing countries, I am also wondering whether this type of networking device and its operating system might be a possible joint project for the open source software and open core hardware communities."