bigjimc
join:2003-04-21
Middleboro, MA | Any Wifi Geeks on Release
There are too many joke here....
Any WiFi Geeks on Prison release that could help with the issue?
--
Just my 2 cents...Flame Lightly... |
|
Techie714
join:2005-08-02
Anaheim, CA
 ·ViaTalk
| Who Wants It?
I could be wrong but unless your in a MAJOR tech heavy area like San Fran, or San Jose I dont think your average Joe really wants or needs this WI-FI access. Look I could be wrong on this but I think a HUGE majority of people out there still dont even know what WI-FI actually is & does. Try asking your grandma who just got a new laptop if she needs access to a hot spot when she takes the 10 minute drive to Starbucks.....She just may look at you & say whats a WI-FI? |
|
TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
 ·Comcast
|  Rosy muni-WiFi stories getting fewer and fewer
Not all that long ago, there were many, many stories about how muni-WiFi was going to change the face of broadband and that the people were all going to have free access to download all their porn and free music and those evil corporations were all going to go broke.
A few cautioned that that vision was unrealistic and that any time city governments were involved, disaster was much more likely than nirvana.
Well, the stories now are starting to highlight all the problems that are occurring and that reality is much closer to the warnings than the hype.
»How’s That Plan For Widespread Wireless Going?
»Is San Francisco’s Wi-Fi A National Example?
»Complaining About Free Wi-Fi
--
--
My BLOG
My Web Page |
|
javaMan
Premium,MVM
join:2002-07-15
San Luis Obispo, CA
1 edit | reply to Techie714
Re: Who Wants It?
said by Techie714  :. . .Look I could be wrong on this but I think a HUGE majority of people out there still dont even know what WI-FI actually is & does. . . Yes, you are wrong. We may technically be a rural area but we are by no means country bumpkins. And to the first poster, don't forget that Vandenberg Air Force base is also located in Lompoc.
--
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness. . . Isa. 5:20 |
|
Ahrenl
join:2004-10-26
North Andover, MA
 ·Verizon FIOS
| reply to TKJunkMail
Re: Rosy muni-WiFi stories getting fewer and fewer
It's appropriate that your avatar is a constantly spinning image.
What is it, 70% of new business's fail? How about you give it a little time, and little bit larger of a data set, before making the blanket generalizations.. unless you truly have no interest in an un-biased analysis.
Frankly, the fact that the city is the one providing service, marks this as the aberration, since most who support Muni-networks think it should be just that, a network, which private companies compete over to provide service.
But please, go ahead and state why one small Cali suburb having trouble defames the entire paradigm. |
|
gh4456
Premium,VIP
join:2004-04-07
Beverly Hills, CA | reply to javaMan
Re: Who Wants It?
Well it appears your numbers don't show it - only 200+ users. I think you may be an exception...
This is why a lot of companies are reluctant to build out like this, as it appears to be a wasted venture. |
|
batageek
Slave To The Duopoly
Premium
join:2003-01-25 | reply to TKJunkMail
Re: Rosy muni-WiFi stories getting fewer and fewer
how about pointing out the "government's" fault in these rollouts? Where is their contribution to the "disaster?" |
|
DaSneaky1D
one wall to block them all
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-29
The Lou
·Charter Pipeline
| reply to TKJunkMail
WiFi, while a great network topology to use, is not meant for MAN installations. At best, coverage of common space areas (parks, business lunch areas, ect) are best served in this manner.
Cellular data services and poorly/purposely openned AP's are your best alternative for wireless connectivity.
This says nothing about WISP operators. They focus their attention in a different direction than the "ubiquitous wireless city" vision these projects are hoping for...and failing at.
--
:: my trivial ramblings :: |
|
DaSneaky1D
one wall to block them all
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-29
The Lou
·Charter Pipeline
| reply to Ahrenl
He provided 3 additional failed projects. Projects that held high hopes and overly optimistic feasibility studies that have not paned out.
While the "numbers" may work, most tech/software/Web 2.0 business tank, not because 70% of all new businesses fail, but because a vast majority of people have great skills, but no business sense.
Can you provide a list of 3 successful metro wifi projects?
--
:: my trivial ramblings :: |
|
Ahrenl
join:2004-10-26
North Andover, MA
·Verizon FIOS
| #1 - It's not a failed project.. yet.
#2 - I'm not sure if you're agreeing with me here..
#3 - No, but I'm not saying if they're good or bad either way, I'm saying pointing at one, WHICH JUST STARTED and is having a little trouble, doesn't defame the entire idea.
The economics point towards municipal owned networks as the free market ideal. Since it's not only unsightly, but at some point infeasible, to have multiple, competing networks, localities who wish to, SHOULD build their own network, and allow private enterprise to COMPETE to offer the best service at the best prices. Weather that's Wifi, or WiMax, or FTTH, is up to each locality. I'm willing to bet no system is the ideal EVERYWHERE. |
|
Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
4 edits | reply to DaSneaky1D
quote:
He provided 3 additional failed projects.
No, actually, he listed three largely different unfinished projects and then jumped to the conclusion he wants to see as a resident political troll (and investor) who opposes municipal competition with incumbent interests.
Philly is not only a smashing success, it was recently rated one of the best performing networks in the country. St. Cloud Florida is also doing well. The Earthlink deployments (public/private) thus far have been successful. We're talking about half-built networks, so "success" or "failure" aren't really applicable yet though...
A good plan is a good plan, and a bad plan is a bad plan. You can find examples of all of them across all funding and deployment models. |
|
TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
2 edits | said by Karl Bode :Philly is not only a smashing success, it was recently rated one of the best performing networks in the country. LOL. Philly has several pilot areas still starting up. Access is practically nil. Philly's rating is based on Verizon's cellphone data access capabilities and has little to do with their muni project. »www.wirelessphiladelphia.org/wir···reas.cfm
EarthLink and Wireless Philadelphia are currently wrapping-up functionality tests in this area They aren't even done testing their hardware yet.
I have relatives in 3 areas of Philadelphia. And muni WiFi is available in none of them even though the Earthlink map shows coverage. Coverage is more like very limited hotspots in specific areas of the so-called covered areas.
--
--
My BLOG
My Web Page |
|
DaSneaky1D
one wall to block them all
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-29
The Lou
·Charter Pipeline
| reply to Karl Bode
OK, granted, I called out "failed" when that statement wasn't warranted.
I do agree that there was an unfounded hope that these networks would be viable alternatives to "common" HSI services.
If Earthlink can come in and take a poor network and apply business skills needed to make them successful, then that's one thing. Most of the stories, though, are of communities and small businesses trying to do it themselves...and we're just now starting to see the results of their efforts.
--
:: my trivial ramblings :: |
|
truocchio
join:2004-07-05
Miami Beach, FL
2 edits | reply to Karl Bode
Karl,
Please...you are citing a "study" or rating from the same company that is trying to selling consulting services for muni wireless. That is just plain biased and unrealistic.
Here is a link to the St Cloud network issues that are occurring from a more reputable source.
»www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news···04/70720
Philly is a smashing success???
They are 1 or 2 years behind schedule and I havent heard any positive feedback from users to date.
»www.usatoday.com/tech/wireless/d···ud_x.htm
There is no way that muni wi-fi will be the great broadband hope that many were expecting. I have been installing wi-fi systems for 5 years and I am certain it does not scale well in a muni situation. Parks, public spaces, bus and train stops maybe. But blanket coverage indoors is not realistic using the techniques that EL, Metro, and others deploying the networks are using. To do it right each and every MDU would have to be surveyed & deployed and single family homes...well they are pretty much SOL in most cases, unless they want to by high gain dual channel bridges/repeaters which only end up adding more noise to the spectrum.
I got into the business because the choices (cable and telco) were unappealing to many and I saw a market opportunity. But based on years of experience I know the limitations of the technology, and they are Significant. With the muni budget and EL, Metrofi ROI schedules there is no way they can spend the money needed to do it "right". If they had that money they might as well roll out fiber to the home and sell wholesale access. |
|
Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
| reply to TKJunkMail
quote:
Philly's rating is based on Verizon's cellphone data access capabilities and has little to do with their muni project.
You don't actually know what you're talking about:
»www.novarum.com/MetroWi-FiRankings2.htm
I'm sorry your aunt or whomever can't get service. The fact is you see failure where you'd like there to be failure. |
|
Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
| reply to DaSneaky1D
quote:
I do agree that there was an unfounded hope that these networks would be viable alternatives to "common" HSI services.
Eh, they weren't born out of a desire to create alternatives. They were born out of a desire to simply have cheap access. quote:
If Earthlink can come in and take a poor network and apply business skills needed to make them successful, then that's one thing. Most of the stories, though, are of communities and small businesses trying to do it themselves...and we're just now starting to see the results of their efforts.
Again, some plans are good, some aren't. Some projects succeed, some fail. The majority of these just launched or are still being built.
Google offers free corporate profit subsidized Wi-Fi in Mountain View, California. There have been ample complaints of coverage. Do I declare the network is a failure? |
|
Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
3 edits | reply to truocchio
quote:
Please...you are citing a "study" or rating from the same company that is trying to selling consulting services for muni wireless.
Novarum sells those same services to everyone.
I don't know, a year old Wired News story and the fact Philly is behind schedule means these networks aren't successful? Philly's project sparked an entire flood of cities that use it as an example. I imagine Earthlink, Google, AT&T, Metro-Fi and many others have engineers who say it is in fact very possible.
Don't get me wrong. I'm no cheerleader for Wi-Fi necessarily. Coverage gaps are pretty common. That's not being debated. What's being debated is TCH's initial troll that suggests these systems are failures. I find the broad wishful assertions of failure made by the politically motivated and financially conflicted (Think Tanks, partisans, etc.) to be annoying.... |
|
Drew11
@comcast.net
| reply to gh4456
Re: Who Wants It?
I think one of the big reasons it's been a failure is that cable and DSL are already widely available in Lompoc (within the city limits at least). When most people don't have a need for "portable" internet access, why would they bother with $20 a month wi-fi that is slower and less reliable than $15 a month Verizon DSL? There are still some areas on the outskirts of town that don't have access to cable or DSL broadband that would have been better served by this type of project. |
|
TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
| reply to Karl Bode
Re: Rosy muni-WiFi stories getting fewer and fewer
said by Karl Bode : Coverage gaps are pretty common. I'm not sure that's being debated. What's being debated is TCH's initial troll that suggests these systems are failures. Oh, I see, any thing you don't agree with is a troll. But your personal attacks don't qualify as trolling. Just getting the facts straight.
--
--
My BLOG
My Web Page |
|
Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02
Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech
| Haven't made any personal attacks. Simply stating your initial post was a factually challenged political troll aimed at supporters of municipal broadband projects. quote:
Just getting the facts straight.
If only that were true.... |
|
