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story category Complaining About Free Wi-Fi
Portland residents the latest to do so...
(old news - 11:58AM Tuesday Mar 13 2007)
tags: business · wireless · municipal
The Oregonian (via Daily Wireless) offers an update on the free Wi-Fi being offered to the city of Portland by Metro-Fi. The article is filled with the kind of complaints we've seen from other free Wi-Fi deployments -- namely that coverage so far is poor, and users are shocked when they find out they need a $120 signal extender if they want to use the service indoors. Complaints seem a little premature, considering that Metro-Fi has 68 antennas operating in less than 5% of the city. The company says the network will quadruple in size over the next few weeks -- though it won't technically be completed until mid-2008. "We need to do a better job from the education and perception perspective," says a Metro-Fi exec.

Related:
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  2. Philly Wi-Fi Network Use Skyrockets
  3. MetroFi Antennas Could Cost $60,000 to Remove
  4. Milpitas May Make Use Of Old Earthlink Wi-Fi Network
  5. Friday Evening Links
  6. Utah Commuters are Connected
  7. Portland Lets Wi-Fi Network Rust
  8. Pennsylvania Plays Stimulus Keep Away
Forums » Complaining About Free Wi-Fi
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dadkins
Can you do Blu?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
·Comcast

Free?

Someone gives you something for free and you bitch about it?

Good God people! WTF?
Tell y'all what, don't use it then!
Go pay for your damn connection!
*THEN* if it is sucky, you have a legitimate beef.
--
Think outside the Fox... Opera

johnt

join:2002-09-13
Richmond, VA
clubs:

Re: Free?

Isn't it amazing that people will bitch - even for something that is given to them?

A freind of mine works radio - and it never fails that when they are doing promotions, and giving things away - someone (sometimes more then one) will complain that what they got sucked. Another buddy works at a local bar and they do free food during happy hour, and people bitch how the food sucks, yet they continue to come back and eat it.

Some people just aren't happy unless they have something to bitch about.

cdru
Go Colts
Premium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN

said by dadkins See Profile :

Someone gives you something for free and you bitch about it?
Not to be nit pickey, but the city is sponsoring the deployment. I take that to mean that they are using taxes to fund it, so it's not exactly free (at least to local residents).
--
Go Colts

mustang03282

join:2003-01-10
Bridgeton, NJ
clubs:

$120 signal extender

$120 signal extender? I got a cheep 12$ linksys usb b wifi card on a 17$ 30 foot usb extension cable The wifi card sits in gladeware sealed with hot glue and i get on ap's 4 blocks away from me and not even clear line of sight

dadkins
Can you do Blu?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-09-26
Hercules, CA
·Comcast

Re: $120 signal extender

said by mustang03282 See Profile :

$120 signal extender? I got a cheep 12$ linksys usb b wifi card on a 17$ 30 foot usb extension cable The wifi card sits in gladeware sealed with hot glue and i get on ap's 4 blocks away from me and not even clear line of sight
LMAO!
No sh**!

Common sense seems to elude some people, huh?
--
Think outside the Fox... Opera

MysticGogeta
The Robot Devil
Premium
join:2005-03-14
League City, TX
clubs:
I believe a one time deal of 120 dollars is worth it none the less. I HATE CABLE PRICES there I said it.
--
Team Discovery-Join the fight

morbo
Complete Your Transaction

join:2002-01-22
00000
clubs:

Re: $120 signal extender

you are forgetting that people don't think ahead. they are short-term.

MysticGogeta
The Robot Devil
Premium
join:2005-03-14
League City, TX
clubs:

Re: $120 signal extender

Thats true and very depressing to me
patcat88

join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
"10 easy payments of $11.95"
nokiatech

join:2000-10-18
Stuart, FL
Holy crap that's a good idea.
hoyleysox

join:2003-11-07
Long Beach, CA
·Cox HSI
·Time Warner Cable

I wonder if Metro-Fi will earn their $ back off advertising

Reading the article suggests that the network will cost $10 million, to be paid for by advertising. People will have to click on a whole lot of popups or banner adds for the company to break even. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out.

paulhaskew
Unoffical Dominos Spokesman

join:2002-01-10
Vancouver, WA
clubs:

bah!

thankfully I live across the river in Vancouver, WA... Portland people just bitch and moan about everything...

Fangz

join:2000-10-11
Magna, UT

Re: bah!

At least it's not Charter running the Wi-fi for PDX.

Vodka2

join:2005-12-20
Sacramento, CA

Re: bah!

Not that any of us in this thread are familiar with Charter in Vancouver... *giggle*
Forums » Complaining About Free Wi-Fi


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