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."

Comments

Re:Less Expensive Internet?

[MozeeToby]

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?

Less expensive internet connections

[Anonymous Coward]

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.

Re:Less Expensive Internet?

[Jeff DeMaagd]

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.

Re:Less Expensive Internet?

[Obfuscant]

Maybe if someone were to set up a free municipal wireless system...

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."

Re:Less Expensive Internet?

[iammani]

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"

Re:Less Expensive Internet?

[Anonymous Coward]

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.

3 strikes and free wifi

[interkin3tic]

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?

Obvious contradition?

[ErikTheRed]

Let's see the first line of the summary is:

"Funded by the NSF, Rice University professors and students are bringing a prototype Wi-Fi system for free to Pecan Park in Houston."

"Free?" You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

I think OPM ("Other People's Money") is what you're looking for.

Re:Less Expensive Internet?

[Nethemas the Great]

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?