Providing 802.11 Access Across State Lines?

kmleon asks: "Where can I find decent information on how to provide wireless internet service using an unlicensed technology (such as the 802.11 variants) across a state border? There are a few hundred people in this rural area that are desperate to use our service since no one else can give them broadband, but I have no idea how to offer that without knowing if we'd be getting in trouble with who knows how many government agencies. Anyone had any experience with doing this? The problem is that all our backbone is on one side of the border, with just strong enough of a signal to give service about 2-5 miles on the other side of the border. Is it just as simple as registering the business in both states? Which agency (FCC, FTC, or other someone else) could I contact for help? None of their websites have provided me with any helpful information. Thanks for any useful input."

Comments

While you're at it what about baking recipes too?

[maggard]

"Where can I find decent information on how to provide wireless internet service using an unlicensed technology (such as the 802.11 variants) across a state border?"

We call them "lawyers". They specialize in understanding and interpreting the law, explaining how it applies to your particular circumstance, advising you of what hoops you'll need to jump through and what your risks are.

Here you'll get geeks of varying degrees of boredem expressing their limitied legal/political understandings of how your rather vague question should be interpreted. The actual value of these expressions will be distinctly dubious and at some point you'll just have to go to a lawyer anyway.

Why anyone posts this useless sort of question to "Ask /." is beyond me, moreso why they're chosen. Exactly what utility will the answers here be beyond raising /. pageviews? Like I said, the blazingly obvious answer is "go to a lawyer", everyone here will be prefacing with "IANAL" or for the .0001% who are legally sophisticated "This does not constitute competent legal advice and you should etc."