I first wrote an essay about why public wifi is not likely to help with digital divide issues, and argued that if the city retains some of the Skypilots, they should be moved to outdoor event venues like Waterfront Park. Then I got a better idea.
How about the Max lines? Are there enough Skypilots to cover the stations, and perhaps be placed along the routes so that the 5.8GHz backhaul could connect them? More ambitiously, could something be added to the Max cars so that wifi was usable in them, and roaming was supported, so people could use wifi while they travelled? Many Max riders are already carrying wireless devices, and could make productive use of transit time. The users are concentrated into a relatively small area - no "hundreds of square miles" problem, no "reaching through trees and walls" problem. Providing wireless to a narrow band has got to be easier than covering a whole city. Power and other infrastructure is already available. Financing is a problem for public wireless, but the money collection system that Trimet has in place could be incrementally expanded - an additional ticket machine menu item that adds wifi access to your ticket for a buck, and provides an individual access code. Or $5 extra for your monthly pass to get an access code. That could easily pay for the system, and provide additional revenue for Trimet besides. There could also be an advertising-supported option a la Metro Fi. Trimet already handles advertising - this expands existing efforts. Scheduling information could be available for free. The system could also work the other way - your wireless device could become your Max ticket, which you can pay online while you travel. I'm not sure how much reprogramming would be required for the Skypilot hardware. High-gain directional backhaul antennas might be needed to reach between stations. There are probably not enough Skypilots to reach Hillsboro, and the tunnel would be a problem. But these seem to be solvable problems, given the overall good fit between capabilities and needs and financing. The vision of PTP volunteers fixing access points while they cling to the rooftops of hurtling Max trains is just too funny to ignore. :-) Keith -- Keith Lofstrom [EMAIL PROTECTED] Voice (503)-520-1993 KLIC --- Keith Lofstrom Integrated Circuits --- "Your Ideas in Silicon" Design Contracting in Bipolar and CMOS - Analog, Digital, and Scan ICs --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ The Personal Telco Project - http://www.personaltelco.net/ Donate to PTP: http://www.personaltelco.net/donate Archives: http://news.gmane.org/gmane.network.wireless.portland.general/ Etiquette: http://www.personaltelco.net/index.cgi/MailingListEtiquette List information: http://lists.personaltelco.net To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
