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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."
I don't see how this will lead to any cheaper internet access.
Is it becuase it's wireless? Here, in Chicago, where Clear wireless has been rolling out WiMax internet service over the last year or so, the wireless service costs just as much as the old cable and DSL options, and neither cable nor DSL have gotten any cheaper. I'm convinced that as long as internet service is provided by large conglomerates, they'll have us paying $50 per month per device that we want to connect to the internet. The internet service that made a price difference was WiFi, which was under control any individual who wanted to set up an access point and share his internet connection -- it doesn't have universal coverage by any measure, but anyone who wants to be generous over a small area can be (e.g. universities or companies or local coffee shops and restaurants), and that has allowed free internet access in many places.
I'm convinced that WiMax is an attempt by big ISPs to obsolete WiFi, and get their dollar back.
There is the PBS model. Some people donate, either anonymously or not, and they just send out a DHCP setup wifi signal. The hackers will love it, but it would be really hard to track individuals or computers in this model.
A little general to free wifi and not too specific to this particular use of spectrum, but I have a question.
If those asses at the RIAA, MPAA, and the shadowy organization of government officials seeking to control everything have their way and a 3 strikes law is passed, what's the likelyhood of such legislation affecting things like free wifi? Seems like if this type of thing proliferates and it gets to a point where a significant amount of users just use free wifi, the MAFIAA isn't going to give up and ignore it. I'm assuming these free wifi spots will probably limit P2P file sharing?