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Profs Bring TV Spectrum Free Wi-Fi To Houston Area
eldavojohn writes "Funded by the NSF, Rice University professors and students are bringing a prototype Wi-Fi system for free to Pecan Park in Houston. Part of the Technology For All initiative (TFA), this effort requires a heavily customized system that utilizes TV-band white spaces in the neighborhood. The team has a 60-foot-tall antenna and will be building several custom devices to give to a few dozen customers that tap into the five empty TV channels available (~30MHz of spectrum). The customization means that standards have yet to be hammered out (the 'WhiteFi' standard is mentioned) but the grant application calls on these professors and students to 'serve as researchers, the wireless network service provider, the network equipment and protocol designers, and community-technology educators and advocates.' Exciting possibilities for a future with less expensive internet connections."
If a new player enters the market the current players might not have any choice but to lower their profit margins. Maybe if someone were to set up a free municipal wireless system using newly opened and freely available wireless spectrum for instance?
I don't know if wireless really competes against wires, cables or fiber optic, it probably is true for this project too. Going from wired to wireless for the "last mile" is a trade in different solutions that also trades very different sets of problems.
The "free municipal systems" aren't really free, you know, they just spread the cost to everyone, even those who have no interest in getting "the internet" and those who already pay for their services. Yes, this is a great deal for those who don't want to pay for their own service, until you consider all the other things that people have the government provide "for free" that they don't want to use.
They also handily remove any real responsibility for service from anyone. Can't pick up the signal? Well, if you're on DSL or cable, nobody can use the excuse "you're in a dead spot, too bad."
The "free municipal systems" aren't really free, you know, they just spread the cost to everyone, even those who have no interest in getting "the internet" and those who already pay for their services. Yes, this is a great deal for those who don't want to pay for their own service, until you consider all the other things that people have the government provide "for free" that they don't want to use.
You mean like fire service?
Two of my imaginary friends reproduced once
Can't pick up the signal? Well, if you're on DSL or cable, nobody can use the excuse "you're in a dead spot, too bad."
Well not exactly, but the excuse would be that, "Sorry, we dont have a cable running to/through your place and we dont plan on spending money to lay new cable, better luck next time"
Lose your job due to an illness--and by extension your ability to maintain your private health insurance coverage. People feel like being charitable and helping you out. They host one of those charitable benefit diners. They usually net what, $5000. Good thing you have cancer and it's costing you $20,000/month. BTW: didn't you have a house payment, a wife and two little kids you were providing for?
Now propose to me how you will address your health care.
For kicks and giggles lets make pretend (then again maybe we don't need to pretend) everyone thinks you're an a****** and don't feel much like being charitable.
Before you or anyone else gets on their soap box and preaches a la carte government, self-determining citizenry, etc. go have a look see at how such a system actually works in practice. What can someone expect to happen should they lose their ability to pay? What happens when all of the support structures now taken for granted are kicked out from underneath them?
Two of my imaginary friends reproduced once