Slashdot Mirror
Toronto to Become One Huge Hotspot
8127972 writes "The Toronto Star is reporting that Toronto Hydro is about to announce plans to make all of Toronto Canada a huge wireless hotspot. The project could go live as early as this fall and hopes to bring low cost Internet access to millions of Toronto citizens. In the process it will challenge the Canadian telcos for a share of the $8 billion (CDN) a year wireless market."
Rogers and Bell both operate HotSpot services in Canada.. Look for HotSpot stickers on the doors of your local Starbucks or Second Cup - as well as other places. They'll even charge it to your Bell or Rogers mobile phone bill...I think all the big Canadian mobile phone providers are in on the action.. even Telus.
_ services/hotspot.asp
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http://www.shoprogers.com/business/wireless/plans
http://www.bell.ca/shop/en_CA_BC/Sme.Sol.Wireless
http://www.telusmobility.com/on/business_solution
I guess the CN tower kind of out does the linksys router +3dB antenna...
This is the same company that went to the regulators and begged to have a "debt repayment" charge added to every consumer regardless if you were part of the original debt problem. Imagine being able to charge customers for your incompetance and making it clear you were doing so!
You may think that having Toronto as one huge hotspot, and I might even think it was cool too if these weren't true:
1. It's illegal to go off the grid.
2. I'm paying for Toronto Hydro's "debt" which consisted of millions of dollars in self-appointed executive bonuses, even when they had severly unbalanced budgets.
3. Toronto Hydro has blocked a lot of "green" ideas, every step of the way. Including subsidies to alleviate power problems.
4. We pay almost almost 10.00 per kw solar power/panel to make sure it's not a viable option.
5. Powering your house by Wind Power is illegal through "sound governance bilaws" even though the noise is quieter than an air conditioner.
6. They artificially "Froze" prices because of public pressure only to raise prices overall to MORE than it would have cost in the first place.
End Rant. Sorry, but it seems like a really cool thing, but like every other cool thing, this will come on the backs of those consumers who have no other choice but to allow them to spend money frivilously.
Yes I have options to go to "brokers", yes I have options to go "all gas", but when I investigated thouse routes, believe it or not, Toronto Hydro was the lesser of all evils.
Yo Grark
Canadian Bred with American Buttering
This is just one more reason I need to move to Canada. As if I needed a reason.
These types of stories pop up on Slashdot once in a while... "City X to implement citywide wireless". I was just wondering what other cities have announced such plans. Which ones actually have working systems today?
SlagheapFirst against the wall when the revolution comes
I didn't know they had guns in Canada...
You obviously did not see "Bowling for Columbine". Canada has more guns than people. The movie asked why the U.S. is more violent than Canada. The issue could not be simply be guns as Canada has more guns than people. The movie briefly explored Canadian lifestyle , media content , etc...
AFAIK we were the first city in NA to impliment it.
NO registration required (though you must agree to the EULA at sign on), and the city actually makes money from the ancillary services the municipal network provides to companies. A win-win in my book.
Sniff a few million packets full of ... financial data
But it will be in Canadian currency. That's no good.
Rod Taylor
What $8 bln CDN /yr wireless market?
I think they're referring to all things sold that have no wires. Like pomegranates.
Old people fall. Young people spring. Rich people summer and winter.
I'm not sure where you got that idea from. "Typically" implies majority. The truth is a number of homeless about equal to the mentally ill do not like shelters because they are afraid of them. (I say this from having worked at CMHA.)
Shelters aren't hotel rooms. You have 20 - 30 packed into a room (within fire limits) and you rarely get a secure locker to put your belongings in. Also, in the cases where you do, it isn't a valet. No one is there to make sure you aren't persuaded to open your locker.
The available options are quite poor. I'm not saying they need Royal York treatment here. But a better option with some high guarantees of safety will see a number going to shelters during the cold winter months. It is a measure of a society's progress when you see how cities treat their most vulnerable. Toronto does a horrible job and too many people think, 'If they just try, they'll be fine.' It is a serious problem with difficult but attainable solutions - if we want it.
Sniff a few million packets full of ... financial data
But it will be in Canadian currency. That's no good.
Yeah, you'll have to sniff 1.13419964 million packets.