http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/ Engadget Comments for AT&T to offer free WiFi to some broadband customers http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/]]>Jul 2nd 2007 2:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/Jul 2nd 2007 2:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/Jul 2nd 2007 2:53PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/
I currently pay, so getting a $2.99 return will be nice (if they don't try to say, "non customers or renewals only..")
]]>Jul 2nd 2007 2:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/
I rather have fast internet on the phone already provided by the company like Edge or other fast internet rather than jumping from hotspot to hotspot losing connectivity every 5 seconds when driving. Or having to stop somewhere just to get fast internet.

But that's just my opinion. :)]]>Jul 2nd 2007 3:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/Jul 2nd 2007 3:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/privacy/att-to-start-scanning-their-network-for-pirated-material-268444.php

http://boingboing.net/2006/01/31/eff_suing_att_for_he.html

Which is why AT&T will never get my service.]]>Jul 2nd 2007 3:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/We need to round up all the f/loss we'll need to run the servers, and lay down some of the basic rules. If this is going to be a nationwide revolt, which I intend it to be, it needs to be a bunch of ISP's using one open ISP protocol, i.e. identical software setups and user agreements. Using this, we should have a shot at forcing other ISP's to be reasonable. For the hardware, we should try to be fully compliant with the latest broadband standards, perhaps even attempt to catch up to the Koreans and Japanese. These ISP's would likely be nonprofit organizations of some kind...
I'm ethana2@gmail.com contact me if you want to get this ball rolling.]]>Jul 2nd 2007 6:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/Jul 2nd 2007 3:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/Jul 2nd 2007 3:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/Jul 2nd 2007 3:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/
Btw - for what use would it be... don't people in the states pretty much get free national calling? I would rather use the low consumption of GSM over the energy cost of WiFi.

]]>Jul 2nd 2007 3:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/
I have built sever multi-access point wifi networks, and as long as they all have the same ssid moving between access points is seamless, at least on linksys and buffalo AP's.]]>Jul 2nd 2007 3:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/Jul 2nd 2007 3:52PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/
The ones I built were smaller with 5-10 ap's over 100k square foot factories.]]>Jul 2nd 2007 4:12PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/
However... 802.11 is strictly an indoor protocol/spec. The reason why 3g and 802.16 are so important is because of the substantial limitations on 802.11. Now.. it is possible to set up enough "outdoor" APs to provide a substantial mesh for "low-speed" movement... and again I emphasize low-speed. However the biggest problem is that the client side entity will never be strong enough... unless someone wants to lug around a huge device along with their other equipment... all kind of silly.

No... a true alternative to the GSM world needs to be able to operate at high-speeds, provide efficient hand-over between APs (towers) all at sustainable network performance.

Do yourself a huge favor and google for "Mobile WiMax". This is the direct competitor to 3G and 4G. Also, you might want to refresh yourself on the 802.11 specs to better understand the limitations.

Now... if you or your village of Jackson have made some remarkable discovery, I am sure there are many in the industry who would love to see how you and your village have been able to modify the 802.11 to deliver such fantastic performance and still stay in FCC requirements for the band.

In the meantime, 3G, 4G and WiMax will start to populate cities, villages and the like with products that can travel on highways, rail, and other means with useable services. And unless something crazy and unexpected happens... Wifi will never replace mobile services.]]>Jul 2nd 2007 5:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/Jul 2nd 2007 10:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/
Wi-VOD & RoamAD are the companies behind a project in Arizona that was actually able to go up to 80mph. The system uses the 4.9GHz band and is not off the shelf gear, though is strongly based on it since it does use most of 802.11. To reach those speeds, the system was placed in an optimal environment and seems to require line-of-sight. (4.9GHz is the dedicated band for emergency services.)

In reading the RoamAD company page (http://www.roamad.com/roamad/solutions/highway_railway) I am more then willing to eat the proverbial crow - with the caveat of understanding that this is flat desert with little line-of-sight interference. So it does work.. but not plausible as an alternative.

I don't keep abreast of the changing market anymore... but all that I have read confirms the difficulties of traditional WiFi. Just give it two more years... and just maybe we will start to see the tide changing.

Sorry that this has gone so far off-topic... now time to get the fork and knife out. :-)]]>Jul 2nd 2007 11:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/
Wifi at many places is all about convenience. I wouldn't stop in because they have a hotspot but it is nice that when I do it does have a hotspot.]]>Jul 2nd 2007 3:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/Jul 2nd 2007 3:35PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/Jul 2nd 2007 4:38PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/
http://digg.com/apple/iPhone_edge_down_nationwide
]]>Jul 2nd 2007 4:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/
bastards ]]>Jul 2nd 2007 6:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/1. Pay $600 for an iPod with built-in phone?
2. Sign a 2-year contract with America's worst network, when I OWN THE EQUIPMENT outright?
3. Be limited to use only America's worst network, even though I bought the fancy iPod?

No thanks. I'm going to stick with my fully-open N800 and keep my cell in my pocket where it belongs.]]>Jul 2nd 2007 6:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/Jul 2nd 2007 7:14PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/Jul 2nd 2007 10:06PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/http://www.engadget.com/2007/07/02/atandt-to-offer-free-wifi-to-some-broadband-customers/Jul 3rd 2007 10:19AM