PCWorld’s columnist, Anush Yegyazarian, brings us an insightful look at the give and take involving cities and municipalities that are trying to establish free, city-wide wi-fi internet access and the telecomm companies and business groups on the other side of the argument that, fearing for their lives in the face of free government wi-fi, are pushing back at cities whose goal is to bring internet access to all of their citizens.
More and more the concept of wireless broadband internet access is looking easier and easier to impliment than a national fiber infrastructure, (although we should definitely go that direction as well) and cities and counties are looking at setting up regional wifi networks as a way to provide consistent and blanketing internet access to communities, schools, and provide subnets for emergency agencies like police and fire departments. But the business sector has their objections, and like big business does, they have an influence on state governments, and they’re trying to block the progress of such moves.
Yegyazarian gives us an in-depth look at the entire debate, and calls it like she sees it; business needs to relax a bit, realize this is no real challenge, and let the information flow like water to the schools and homes of our nation’s cities; only good can come of this-and personally, I agree with her.