That's always been the dream of public Wi-Fi: That it would put poor and rural communities on the global grid, and give them the skills they need to compete and even live in this world. Thus far however, the results have been disappointing. Too early -- just not enough devices, and very clumsy about finding you networks and logging you on. Poor network performance -- very limited range of 150-300ft, unstable connections, poor network management -- the tools needed to be developed. Then there are all the technical limitations that are endemic to operating in an open, unlicensed spectrum at low power. Other networks interfere. Doesn't penetrate foliage, or walls. Thus the early business models that relied upon anyone -- users, municipalities -- paying for this all failed. Who would pay for the above? Google of course has been focused on ad supported public Wi-Fi, but that takes networks that work and devices that are Wi-Fi friendly. No traffic, no ad revenue.
But even now as various muniwireless projects are shuttering, because the network cost far more and performed far worse than expected, new devices like the iPhone are starting to drive demand for Wi-Fi networks, and new Wi-Fi networking technologies are now making possible at last to have 'good-enough' networks, ones that could indeed provide enough in public amenities and revenue streams to actually cost justify the building of such community Wi-Fi networks.
Taking a look at matters all together, from the current state of antenna technology, to what Wi-Fi network managing and monitoring tools that are now available, to the flood of consumer-friendly Wi-Fi enabled devices in the pipeline to Web 2.0 (dynamic, interactive, content driven) functionality being now implemented on community portals, to what we have been hearing in the market as we speak to BIDs (Business Improvement Districts), the time for community Wi-Fi is finally arriving.
That is great news for local businesses -- community Wi-Fi and the community web portals that come with them will make those local business much more visible locally and on the internet.
That is also great news for those who can't afford access. The Digital Divide leaves the poor and the rural off the grid. It renders them information-poor and less employable. It leaves too our nation at a great disadvantage as we compete with the many countries around the world where the internet is much more available, much faster and much cheaper.
The best news is that we are at an early phase in the evolution into the world of pervasive computing, the world of the wireless web. Devices will become ever cheaper and ubiquitous. Witness what One Laptop Per Child is trying to do, create a $100 Wi-Fi enabled laptop to bring the web to children globally. What should be the dream for this country? Should it be any less so?
We see Wi-Fi renewing communities by connecting them both to the web and to the local web of their community via the web portal. We see the community portals within the Wi-Fi hot zones encouraging people to buy local. We see local citizens bringing arts, cultural, civic, and historical information to the local portal to share.
The devices and networks, after five long years, are finally arriving. We are fast approaching a platform that can support the dream that we began with, that Wi-Fi can renew communities by bringing them the Internet, but localized.
But even now as various muniwireless projects are shuttering, because the network cost far more and performed far worse than expected, new devices like the iPhone are starting to drive demand for Wi-Fi networks, and new Wi-Fi networking technologies are now making possible at last to have 'good-enough' networks, ones that could indeed provide enough in public amenities and revenue streams to actually cost justify the building of such community Wi-Fi networks.
Taking a look at matters all together, from the current state of antenna technology, to what Wi-Fi network managing and monitoring tools that are now available, to the flood of consumer-friendly Wi-Fi enabled devices in the pipeline to Web 2.0 (dynamic, interactive, content driven) functionality being now implemented on community portals, to what we have been hearing in the market as we speak to BIDs (Business Improvement Districts), the time for community Wi-Fi is finally arriving.
That is great news for local businesses -- community Wi-Fi and the community web portals that come with them will make those local business much more visible locally and on the internet.
That is also great news for those who can't afford access. The Digital Divide leaves the poor and the rural off the grid. It renders them information-poor and less employable. It leaves too our nation at a great disadvantage as we compete with the many countries around the world where the internet is much more available, much faster and much cheaper.
The best news is that we are at an early phase in the evolution into the world of pervasive computing, the world of the wireless web. Devices will become ever cheaper and ubiquitous. Witness what One Laptop Per Child is trying to do, create a $100 Wi-Fi enabled laptop to bring the web to children globally. What should be the dream for this country? Should it be any less so?
We see Wi-Fi renewing communities by connecting them both to the web and to the local web of their community via the web portal. We see the community portals within the Wi-Fi hot zones encouraging people to buy local. We see local citizens bringing arts, cultural, civic, and historical information to the local portal to share.
The devices and networks, after five long years, are finally arriving. We are fast approaching a platform that can support the dream that we began with, that Wi-Fi can renew communities by bringing them the Internet, but localized.
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