SCN: Free wireless Net access for the masses

[Brian High]

While this article is about the effort in San Francisco, see the links below
for coverage of 'Seattle Wireless' and other projects.

Free wireless Net access for the masses
By Paul Festa
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
September 26, 2001, 4:00 a.m. PT
Tim Pozar used to speak only rarely to his neighbors in San Francisco's
foggy Sunset district, but that changed the day he hung out a wireless
antenna and welcomed the world to use his high-speed Internet line.

"I've gotten to know the neighbors much better," said the professional
network and telecommunications consultant. "Occasionally, they bring me pies
and things like that."

Pozar, a key member of the Bay Area Wireless Users Group (BAWUG), broke the
ice when he joined a growing number of enthusiasts setting up wireless
access points that let neighbors and passers-by roam the streets of urban
areas and access the Internet wirelessly, at blazing speeds, for free.

The perk comes courtesy of community groups that are extending Internet
access through the 802.11b wireless networking standard, sometimes known as
Wi-Fi. Other sources of the high-bandwidth giveaway, whether they know it or
not, are corporations whose Wi-Fi networks are accessible to passers-by.

"It's not so much idealistic as altruistic," Pozar said. "We are getting rid
of the last-mile cost of connecting to the Internet, but the benefits go
beyond that. It's more like a co-op. People pitch in in one form or another
to contribute to building the network, and that opens up to a lot of
personal sharing."

[...]

http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1004-200-7301549.html?tag=tp_pr



Seattle Wireless: http://seattlewireless.net/

From: http://seattlewireless.net/index.cgi/PressCoverage :

a.. http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/business/37567_wireless04.shtml
b.. http://www.webwereld.nl/nieuws/printout.phtml?id=8435
c..
http://wire.ap.org/APnews/center_package.html?FRONTID=TECHNOLOGY&PACKAGEID=T
ECHnetaccess&STORYID=APIS7E75UC8
d..
http://www.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/01/08/24/010824hnfreewireless.xml
More links (from http://www.personaltelco.net/index.cgi/PressCoverage ):

October 2001 - Discover Magazine

  "The Future of Wireless", a panel of "wireless visionaries" talk about the
future of the Internet and eireless connectivity. The full version isn't
available online, just a list of panelists and a some blurbage..
  http://www.discover.com/oct_01/gthere.html?article=featwireless.html

04 September 2001 - Wireless Guerrillas

  Jim Krane writes "Digital activists want to share the Internet's wealth --
er, bandwidth" the main point of this article seems to be fear mongering in
the business world that we're "stealing bandwidth" and the ISP's and Telco's
aren't gonna like that.
  http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/business/37567_wireless04.shtml

28 August 2001 - Gannett News Service

  Greg Wright writes "Bootleggers bring broadband to some neighborhoods" for
the Gannett News Service, which has papers all over the country. Covers
DanRichardson and the PlayDay.
  http://www.gannettonline.com/e/trends/11000064.html

16 August 2001 - Newsbytes

  Dick Kelsey writes "WiFi Spawns Free Net Access", AdamShand gets yet more
press time in this article! Way to go!
  http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/169108.html

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