I'm not aware of any successful free Wifi project. If there is one, "success" is defined by "the eye of the beholder", and I'm sure the users have a different opinion (harder standard) than the the advocates who want to look good convincing the public it was successful. Bottom line.... Network engineering and ongoing support is expensive, in unlicensed where the environment can constantly change. Smart Radio self diagnose and auto repair functionality is not realistic, because a radio only knows how to take care of itself, not considering how it efffects other radios it interfers with (which could be the same provider's network). With no revenue, there is nothing to pay for maintenance. With no maintenance, users get frustrated, and there become few users. With few users, paying for it from alternate sources such as "advertising dollars", doesn't work. Even subsidized free networks generally wont work because no one would have the incentive to really care to make the network work optimally always. Engineers make networks work, because if they dont, they loose the needed revenue and subscribers that puts food on the table. Take that dynamic away, and its a formula for failure.
Nothing is "free". "free" wifi has generally only worked on the scale of an individual venue, where as the venue has an alternate source of revenue (such as hotel ), and the value add attract customers and higher rates for the alternate core business, and its justified for that venue to pay for the maintenance of the wifi. The key is "incentive". What incentive is there, for the WISP to operate and support their network well? The other problem is scale. Wifi does not scale to the level that free wifi visionaries think. The more it is scaled the harder it is to make it work. Charging a fee is critical to reduce demand. Free Wifi was almost an acceptable idea when luxary Internet was under 200kbps. We live in a more capacity demanding world today. People forget about the little things like.... WIFI APs barely being able to handle 30 subs in ideal situations, because of ACK, hidden node, retransmissions, etc, regardless of the capacity used. (unless more expensive true TDD systems are used). it takes careful engineering on a link by link basic to scale and get the capacity out of wifi gear, and that isn't free. Tom DeReggi RapidDSL & Wireless, Inc IntAirNet- Fixed Wireless Broadband ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paolo Di Francesco" <[email protected]> To: "Josh Luthman" <[email protected]> Cc: "WISPA General List" <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, October 27, 2011 9:55 PM Subject: Re: [WISPA] Metro wifi for free in USA > Hi Josh > > thank you for your nice reply. :) > > I hope that also other WISPs will express an opinion about this topic. > > Regards, > Paolo > > >> 1) Typically cities try, get bids and the company drops the idea. It >> doesn't offer a good return on investment. >> 2) Yep, many many times >> 3) I would. I'd lose customers and I'm paying for it to happen! >> 4) There are several success stories involving this, I don't have one >> myself >> Josh Luthman >> Office: 937-552-2340 >> Direct: 937-552-2343 >> 1100 Wayne St >> Suite 1337 >> Troy, OH 45373 >> >> >> >> On Thu, Oct 27, 2011 at 5:47 PM, Paolo Di Francesco >> <[email protected]> wrote: >>> Dear All >>> >>> I am not from USA and I am very curious about free wifi access in the >>> metro area in USA. I was wondering: >>> >>> 1) is there any metro free wifi access (NY, LA, etc) >>> 2) I know some time ago some private effort has been done (I guess by >>> google) but I also remember that those networks miserably failed >>> 3) would anybody of you complain (as member of your local community) if >>> your local municipality would offer wifi free using your taxes? And >>> would you complain as WISP if they would use your taxes to give wifi for >>> free? >>> 4) do you see any business in giving 1 hour (or time limited) wifi for >>> free to users in order to push them to buy more hours? What is the >>> average amount in terms of hours per day of your customers on the >>> hotspots? >>> >>> Any information is really appreciated >>> >>> >>> -- >>> >>> >>> Ing. Paolo Di Francesco >>> >>> Level7 s.r.l. unipersonale >>> >>> Sede operativa: Largo Montalto, 5 - 90144 Palermo >>> >>> C.F. e P.IVA 05940050825 >>> Fax : +39-091-8772072 >>> assistenza: (+39) 091-8776432 >>> web: http://www.level7.it >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> WISPA Wants You! Join today! >>> http://signup.wispa.org/ >>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> WISPA Wireless List: [email protected] >>> >>> Subscribe/Unsubscribe: >>> http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless >>> >>> Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ >>> >> > > > -- > > > Ing. Paolo Di Francesco > > Level7 s.r.l. unipersonale > > Sede operativa: Largo Montalto, 5 - 90144 Palermo > > C.F. e P.IVA 05940050825 > Fax : +39-091-8772072 > assistenza: (+39) 091-8776432 > web: http://www.level7.it > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > WISPA Wants You! Join today! > http://signup.wispa.org/ > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > WISPA Wireless List: [email protected] > > Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > > Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wants You! Join today! http://signup.wispa.org/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISPA Wireless List: [email protected] Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
