factchecker
@cox.net
| Reasons for failure ? Here are three.
'They won't be able to share next-gen telco networks, their partnership with Covad goes only as far as that company's ADSL2+ network does, cost cutting is affecting support quality and their Muni-Fi efforts netted fewer subscribers than expected."
Three good reasons why their muni wifi operations have not worked out...
Coverage - until the entire city is covered, it makes no sense to subscribe. If I can only get a signal in the CBD of a city and I live outside of it, what is the incentive for me to get the service ? I can't use it everywhere, only where I work and then, I already have a fast connection. Of course, the telcos (and probably the cablecos) have done their part in slowing down/impeding the deployment of the networks.
Marketing - most people don't even have a clue that muni wifi is being offered. Unless people know that a service is available, people can't take advantage of it.
Number of markets - Earthlink's wifi service in only available in a hand full of cities (I think five or six). Once again, why subscribe when it is only available in a few cities. If it was available in a majority of cities, people would have the ability to access the internet just about anywhere they do at a REASONABLE price (cell providers are not charging reasonable rates for what they offer). Business customers would eat this service up if it was more widely deployed across the nation. |
