Comments on: Kessler on metro WiFi

By: Satish Bhardwaj

Satish Bhardwaj — Wed, 14 Sep 2005 20:31:23 +0000

There is absolutely no need for hot spots. There is absolutely no need for laptops. They can be replaced by mobile handsets that can send text messages. All that is needed is the development of a server side browser that functions under a new set of roles. The new role would be to process the data received from the client itself instead of sending any files to the client as at present. when this is done a cellphone could be used to send the necessary data to the server that would process the data.

This would end the need for RIAA to sue those it accuses of piracy since piracy would become imposssible. there would be no need for the Congress to act. Further if these music pirates were rich capable of defending the law suites RIAA would not be suing anybody.

By: DJ

DJ — Sat, 10 Sep 2005 23:30:58 +0000

I think a municipal communications network could be beneficial, but I worry about censorship and wiretapping. A well run government network could easily drive profit seeking competitors out of an area. That isn't so bad; if a corporation can't provide a superior product or a lower cost then they serve no purpose. That is, until the government starts to restrict access to "bad" sites or claims (as they do so often with public roads) that they have the right to record, inspect and regulate your activities using their network without probable cause. If there is no alternative to the municipal network then we will have exchanged our liberties for a cheaper network. I would feel a lot better if the network came with legislation prohibiting lawmakers from enacting such restrictions and some condition (such as requiring a refferendum to repeal) that prevents lawmakers from just rescinding the prohibition as they bring the restrictions on line.

By: David

David — Sat, 10 Sep 2005 20:17:20 +0000

I don't see why we should worry about crowding out private investment. Incumbents can market to consumers based on service, like speed and bandwidth, or by offering package deals with their other products. Wireless, more so than physical pipes, can accomodate multiple lines, so this should be encouraged. And without monopolists, there wouldn't be the type of rent-seeking that Verizon and Comcast are currently doing. Not to mention having to suffer the consequences of not making broadband reasonably available to working families in the first place.

By: Branko Collin

Branko Collin — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 23:27:31 +0000

At Teleread I blogged about a plan from the Dutch Socialist Party, which wants to make sure text books are gratis for families. As I wrote there, our minister of education is against this plan, and this might be because she fears unfair competition from the government for the publishers.