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Pittsburgh Launches Large, Free, Public WiFi Network
Snkscore writes: "Pittsburgh launched an outdoor public Wi-Fi network on Monday. The story here from cnet talks about their plan to cover 4sq miles of downtown Pittsburgh with 10Mb internet access and charge a $20/month access fee (cheap!!). I think this is the coolest thing. Next, I think they should setup access points along the train tracks." Update: 05/21 18:59 GMT by T : Garbled URL fixed now -- sorry 'bout that.
How exactly does $20/m equal a free network?
PS the link to the article is messed up.
The world moves for love. It kneels before it in awe.
This is not only important for web surfing and the like but brings up the possibility of cheap non celluar phone access. This could spawn a whole new industry, this just needs to get repeated in a few cities so that it becomes trendy and will then be adopted country wide (be the first one in your neighborhood).
I don't know what's up with the link in the blurb, but here's a working link to the article: http://news.com.com/2100-1033-918439.html?tag=fd_t op
Mr. Spey
Cover your butt. Bernard is watching.
For all those looking for the missing link (and that includes any anthropologists) check here.
Video Game cheats, hints a
If they NAT it to all their friends, would they be the Pittburgh Pirates?
You are not the customer.
If your goal is to have access while on the train, wouldn't it be cheaper to outfit the TRAIN with access points and have a single data connection from the train to some home base? They already have some form of communication with the station anyway. It would be MUCH cheaper to retrofit that line on each passenger train and equip each passenger train with WAPs.
-- Minds are like parachutes... they work best when open.
10 MB/s is almost 7x as fast as a T1. I could see this attracting lots of businesses, and lots of geeks to Pittsburgh.
Yeah it costs taxpayer money, but so does giving tax breaks, and so does building convention centers. To me this is a smarter way to attract business to your city. I hope others follow suit.
No, Thursday's out. How about never - is never good for you?
Next, I think they should setup access points along the train tracks.
I agree. Think of the 1337 h0b05. 0wn1n6 all the train commuters' wireless notebooks & PDAs. Good stuff.
One of the big problems with wireless connectivity around Pittsburgh is the local topology. There are lots of hills and valleys and comparatively little flat land. This has made cellular service rather unreliable in a lot of cases, and makes wireless service difficult outside of short ranges (at least, outside the relatively flat downtown area). It'll be a while before both providers offer service beyond small ranges, but it's a promising start all the same.
Moving out of edgewood into the City of Pittsburgh - Several thousand dollars and many headaches
Dealing with the city of Pittsburgh parking shit and most likely not having a driveway - Many Migraines
Increased Tax rates - Alot
Ripping off the RIAA and MPAA, not waiting for the pr0n images to load, not getting packetloss when ever someone uses Pay-Per-View downstairs, and all at 10Mbits for half of what I'm paying for ISDN speed Cable right now - Priceless
(Score:0, Interesting)
This is happening in NYC as well, only there are non-for-profit groups such as NYCwireless working to provide FREE access in public spaces throughout the NYC metropolitan area. If you're in NYC, check out this Community Network Node Database (also available for other major US cities.)
I'm curious how you think a (currently)free wireless Internet connection is going to make music piracy and child pr0n any more popular?
Just because I can connect to the Internet from the Point doesn't mean I immediately go download unreleased CDs or naked 8 year olds.
How is getting something for a period of time for nothing anything like getting half a wheel?
If it were anywhere near your analogy it would be, "Here is a working wheel. You can use it for now but eventually you will have to pay or stop using it." In the mean time you save time and effort. It's free.
Any time you get something that benefits you for nothing, even if it's just for a second you are getting it for free. Maybe you can't access the network everywhere in the city, but if you can access it anywhere you have gained something for nothing. That is free.
I just don't see how anyone can do anything but say, "Thanks. That's cool." about this.
For instance, here's a list of intentionally open wireless access points around SF
--Pat / zippy@cs.brandeis.edu