[Wolves] BTfon - Can anyone make any sense of this announcement?

[Peter Evans]

On Monday 15 October 2007 12:58:59 ArchLinuxUser dick_turpin wrote:
> Hm that's what I'd like to know, apparently the government is determined to
> achieve free *wireless internet* which is interesting as yet again its
> another smoke and mirrors job.
One model I have seen proposed is as follows:

Local Authority spends money to establish wireless coverage in a metropolitan 
area.  Funding is done through PFI with a major carrier.  Initial use is 
restricted to authorised users (authority staff and others).  Later access to 
public services available on the internet would be free, so you can report 
broken street lights, pay your council tax, etc.  Final stage is to offer 
access to the wider internet on a subscriber/pay-as-you-go basis.

So we seem to end up with a double whammy of paying for the setup and use of 
the initial network through our taxes and then pay the council and PFI 
partner for the use of it outside of immediate public service websites.

The end goal is one of cost reduction, and possible revenue generation, for 
the authority.  There's precious little concern to provide "free wireless 
internet", because unless I've missed a beat we haven't hit the 24th Century 
yet and the need for money is still very much a driving force in society.

> It would appear the hope is that everyone 
> with a wireless router will give up a percentage of their bandwidth thus
> enabling a so called free wireless, hotspot service.

> The government have no intention of compensating you for this gift and as
> far as I know neither has BT any plans to drop your bill either so it begs
> the question why would you get involved?
Which is true, but that's the core 'community' concept at work, and is the 
schemes saving grace I think.  Were I in scope of the scheme I'd like to 
think I'd be altruistic enough to enable it on my own router and hope others 
would do the same.  The benefit is to all the subscribers and it costs me 
nothing extra.

If I have my facts straight the FON network has been running like this for a 
while and also allows non-subscribers to purchase time on the network too.  
Which is fine, because the funds gathered will contribute to maintaining 
everyones service.

Don't quite know where the government angle is coming from in that last 
paragraph though.

> MacDonalds already operate free wireless connectivity for *their customers*
> how on earth they police that is beyond me as I doubt its 'passphrased'
> it'd be too much work to keep changing it. I suppose they do it in the hope
> you'll pop in and by some re-constituted meat stuff in tissue paper ersatz
> bread (Look it up).
From what I've read it's an open service.  There's no cost to use and no 
sign-up.  But you're spot on - it's a marketing move.  If you have to sit 
inside a McD to use it there's more chance that you'll purchase something 
whilst you're doing so.

If this model grows then we have to worry about 1) Security and 2) Seemlessly 
connecting to all the various hotspots that abound. These probably already 
have solutions though, I'll admit that I'm not up to date on this sort of 
thing.

> Its irrelevant who you get your broadband from it all goes through Telecom
> house in London anyway (I've said this before) you know, you buy your gas
> or electric from Swaziland energy but it still comes through British gas
> pipes or West Midlands electricity cables.
>
> So you'll indirectly be paying BT anyway :-)
Good point. At some point, at some time, no matter who your provider is it's 
highly likely that money is being fed to BT for transit.

Time for a leading question though.  I'd like to understand why is it people 
feel they're entitled to, or even want, free wireless internet with VOIP 
capability.  And what is it about this subject that differs from anyone else 
wanting something for nothing?
-- 
Regards,

Pete Evans