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Niue Gets Island-Wide WiFi

NinjaPablo writes "Business Wire is running a story about the polynesian island of Niue. Niue has just completed an island-wide wifi network, making it the first country with nationwide free wifi access. This comes after countrywide email was started in 1997, dialup access in 1999, and broadband this Spring, all free for anyone."

3 of 245 comments (clear)

  1. If there really is free broadband for every one... by GrodinTierce · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm dying to know the details. From companies perspectives there are enough 'problems' with the flat rate model that many are switching to caps or per GB charges, so would free bandwidth be even 'worse'?

    Basically, what's the speed, and how do they deal with serious users?

    Tierce

    --


    Tierce
    Who sponsors your feelings?
  2. Re:Spam haven? by Imperator · · Score: 4, Insightful

    RTFA, and give me some of whatever you're smoking

    The island has less than 2000 residents. That means 1 degree of separation at most, I'd guess. If you're not one of them, you kinda stick out.

    Besides, wifi has terrible bandwidth. Why fly all the way there to get what you can get at many unis for free? Hell, there are unis where you can just walk into the library, plug in your laptop, and use the school's massive bandwidth.

    As cheesy a plot as flying to Niue to spam from a secret cave hideout might be, it's an idea that 10 seconds of thought would reject.

    --

    Gates' Law: Every 18 months, the speed of software halves.
  3. Re:Taxes, or tourism? by brak · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What the heck are you talking about?

    $150 for a wireless bridge that will work at several miles with a $50 antenna and you'll get about 3 Mb/sec.

    Lets see, $200/year vs $50/month for DSL?

    This is such a nobrainer its not even funny. I could put an Omni on my roof and 20 households could share the connection by putting a bridge in their front window.