Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Tempe City-Wide Wireless Snags

Posted by Zonk on from the contractors-should-be-vetted dept.

Triumph The Insult C writes "About a month ago, the dot carried a story about the city of Tempe, AZ, laying claim to be the first major metropolitan area to provide city-wide broadband internet access. Well, things haven't gone exactly as planned, as one of the companies involved, MobilePro Corp, is now being investigated by the state for not holding the appropriate permits. As a resident of downtown Tempe, I hope the rollout isn't successful, as I would much prefer to see a more community-based effort, such as in Seattle, Austin, and New York City."

4 of 108 comments (clear)

  1. Re:A dream.. by BlogPope · · Score: 3, Insightful
    It would be great to see the wireless internet as a city utility (like phone, electricity, etc). A dream, but a also a hope...

    A regulated monopoly run as a for profit company? Why would you dream about that?

    --
    My other car is a Popemobile
  2. Bitterness & hopes of failure by dangitman · · Score: 5, Insightful
    As a resident of downtown Tempe, I hope the rollout isn't successful, as I would much prefer to see a more community-based effort, such as in Seattle, Austin, and New York City."

    You hope that something that could be useful to many people will fail, just because you like something else? You want to see money wasted, just to feel superior?

    Why does this rollout succeeding, stop you from contributing to community efforts? Maybe you should make an effort to do better yourself, with your community ideas, rather than simply hoping that others fail. What an attitude!

    --
    ... and then they built the supercollider.
  3. Re:I don't understand people sometimes.... by MustardMan · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I couldn't agree with you more. All rutan did was pay some people to build a sub-orbital space vehicle. NASA funds SCIENTIFIC research in a huge number of fields that greatly advance our understanding of the universe. The whole "NASA sucks" virgin-galactic worship thing really pisses me off. You're talking about one of the largest, most productive research organizations in the history of humankind, and comparing it to a guy who solved a minor engineering problem by drawing from existing technologies. I'm not saying NASA couldn't use some serious reorganization and better administration, but comparing the work of its many talented scientists to a company that built a glorified airplane is foolish, disrepectful, and incredibly short-sighted.

  4. Re:Wha? by falzer · · Score: 3, Insightful

    > The "dot"?

    The Department of Transportation.