Why isn't Wifi (free or paid) available in more places? (DSL, wi-fi)

[wrcousert]

Ideally, I should be able to go into nearly any public place and find a Wifi connection. I don't expect it to be free. Companies like Boingo have unlimited plans for as little as $10 per month. I might be willing to go as high as $25 if I wasn't limited to the occasional coffee shop or restaurant.

I see tons of signals, but nearly all of them are locked. It seems like a good opportunity for someone to create some sort of business out of all these wireless routers.

Why aren't the ISP's more interested in Wifi?

[Submariner]

Towers and repeaters, power to run each. Plus the fiber ran to connect them. Would cost a lot.

It is one thing for McD or Walmart to setup their own Wifi for themselves on their property; and then to allow open access for customers. That is good for business.

But it begins to get expense to expand out beyond your building.

[reed303]

Too bad the local phone co. haven't thought to replace all the payphones they have ripped out with a WiFi hotspot. The old phone line could at least support DSL, and AC power is usually available.

But then most of them are dial-tone people, not IP people.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by reed303

Too bad the local phone co. haven't thought to replace all the payphones they have ripped out with a WiFi hotspot. The old phone line could at least support DSL, and AC power is usually available.

But then most of them are dial-tone people, not IP people.

Old phone-line can only support dial-up.

DSL requires DSL cable to be installed. My township's phone company upgraded their lines to DSL cable. Each of our surrounding four townships have not seen the upgrade, their phone lines can only support dial-up speeds.

[dkf747]

They created mobile hotspots for this. I got one from Verizon after getting blasted by people here for using free WIFI. I'm glad I did. Works almost everywhere I go..

[Peregrine]

I want to know where OP lives that he can't find a hotspot. There are 4 less then a half mile from my house.

Re: Mobile hotspots. Created to get more green our of your wallet.

Re: "Old Phone Lines". Landlines certainly DO support DSL. It's what DSL was created on. There isn't "DSL CABLE". Its traditional phone line. As long as you are within ### Feet of the CO, you can get DSL on your EXISTING phone line.

Re: Phone booths. NYC is actually experimenting with using old payphones as free public hotspots.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/13/tech/i...-fi/index.html

Other cities are also rolling out widespread free wifi access, like Akron, Ohio.
Downtown Akron launches free wireless Internet access | cleveland.com

Cleveland did this also in 2008 with a small part of the city (5 sq mile of the University Circle area).

Every day free wifi gets more ubiquitous. When our children have children it will be everywhere.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

I want to know where OP lives that he can't find a hotspot. There are 4 less then a half mile from my house.

Maybe the OP is not in a city.

The only wifi in my township is individual home-owners who use a router.

My home is near to dead center of our township. In terms of 1/2 mile from your house, 1/2 mile from my house would only reach two other houses [each if different directions].

Not everyone lives in a city.

... RE: "Old Phone Lines". Landlines certainly DO support DSL. It's what DSL was created on. There isn't "DSL CABLE". Its traditional phone line. As long as you are within ### Feet of the CO, you can get DSL on your EXISTING phone line.

Normal twisted wire pairs can not carry broad-band.

Our phone company upgraded in 2006 to a shielded coax cable with twisted wire pairs inside it, so they could offer DSL.

Each of the four townships that adjoin our town do not have DSL available because those phone companies have not upgraded yet from the regular phone line to the newer cable.

I was here when they did the upgrade to my phone line, and I have been present twice when someone has cut the line by accident and it had to be repaired. It is a shielded cable with regular phone line style twisted pairs inside it.

I had to perform one of those repairs myself, as I was one of the guys who cut the line with my backhoe.

... Every day free wifi gets more ubiquitous. When our children have children it will be everywhere.

When the world wide war is over and done,
And the dream of peace comes true.
We'll all be drinkin' free bubble-ubb,
Eatin' that rainbow stew.
When they find out how to burn water,
And the gasoline car is gone.
When an airplane flies without any fuel,
And the satellite heats our home.
One of these days when the air clears up,
And the sun comes shinin' through.
We'll all be drinkin' free bubble-ubb,
An' eatin' that rainbow stew.

Eatin' rainbow stew in a silver spoon,
Underneath that sky of blue.
All be drinkin' free bubble-ubb,
An' eatin' that rainbow stew

[Peregrine]

Originally Posted by Submariner

Maybe the OP is not in a city.

Which is why I asked. If the OP said "Chicago" I would say "you aren't looking hard enough". If the OP said Bedford Falls, I would say "what do you expect".

Not everyone lives in a city.

Well aware.

Normal twisted wire pairs can not carry broad-band.

They can and they do in every major city in America.
DSL runs on those POTS lines IF you live close enough to what the phone company calls a CO "Central Office". If you do not live close enough to a CO, as you apparently do not, then special cable needs to be run.
[/quote]


Digital subscriber line - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Now what we we talking about?

[Submariner]

From your link DSL freqs go "as high as 4 MHz."

Which is why it must be conducted within shielding.

what we we talking about, was your mis-understanding concerning why old style phone line can not conduct DSL.

[North Beach Person]

There are, or have been, companies which have been started to provide "free" or low cost wi-fi in public areas. The key is the advertising revenue from hits. That's where the rub is, lack of profit.

My town explored free wi-fi in our public areas, primary the beach/boardwalk, a few years ago. The largest oppostion came from the business owners. Many of them felt having people coming to town to use wi-fi would negatively impact their businesses. You know, none of the guests would buy coffee or eat a sandwich, etc. Of course they came back later and complained that we weren't doing enough to bring people to town. Some of the smarter owners have wi-fi hot spots in their businesses. Those that don't have complained about those who do.

Many of my business owners are morons.