Microsoft Pushing Municipal Wi-Fi 67
PreacherTom writes "Microsoft is moving to be the latest player to bring its formidable weight to bear in the growing Wi-Fi market. The software giant's recent deal to provide content and services through partnership with municipal Wi-Fi operator MetroFi in Portland, Ore., will intensify the battle between Google, Yahoo!, and MSN for online traffic. Why the focus? Content providers who capture the growing municipal Wi-Fi market will be in a better position to enjoy higher traffic to their sites and greater customer loyalty — and, as a result, grab a greater share of the $16 billion of expected online advertising dollars this year, according to consultancy eMarketer. 'It's a battle for eyeballs,' says Matt Rosoff, an analyst with the consultancy firm 'Directions on Microsoft'."
Good for them.. (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Good for them.. (Score:4, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Microsoft has good reasons to want to control this (Score:3, Interesting)
I can promise you for "security" reasons, Microsoft WiFi will require Microsoft DRM which will require a Microsoft IP patent license which will no tbe compatable with F/OSS no matter what Novell would like you to think.
This has nothing to do with providing a nice service / and everything to do w
Re:Microsoft has good reasons to want to control t (Score:1)
Whahuh?
Re:Microsoft has good reasons to want to control t (Score:2)
Re:Microsoft has good reasons to want to control t (Score:2)
What are RAND terms? I don't think I've ever heard of any sort of licensing scheme called RAND. What is this RAND license and how restrictive is it?
Re: (Score:2)
As long as it's free it's good? Do you only buy clothes you know were made in sweatshops? They _are_ cheaper.
Re: (Score:2)
Many high dollar cloths are made in sweat shops.
So, why is free bad just because it's from MS?
Re: (Score:2)
None of this would be completely bad if it wasn't a company which continually uses extensive campaigns of F
Vista? (Score:1)
Live free or die! (Score:2)
How cost-effective are large WiFi networks? (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
But more to the point the university bagan to move over to a net based material system, since all lecture material is online, easy net access is a must, there were RJ45 sockets in the technology and engineering buildings, but there are around 12, 10 storey buidlings on campus, whats easier and cheaper
Putting
Re: (Score:2)
It was a great idea, but as you suggested, just not cost effective. They went under a few times and were subsequently bought out once or twice. I think they're still in business in San Diego. I have my doubts that an 802.11-based company could possibly do any better, considerin
Re: (Score:1)
I'm very curious how the Portland wireless plan will play out. I live here, and in the last month or so I've been seeing these white cones [portlandonline.com] popping up all over the streetlights and traffic lights. They will have to have some decent power to them, because they're barely every two to four blocks. I know with one wall (or more likely a building) between a computer and the AP it will not be the best signal. They'll be getting power from the traffic or street lights.
From that page linked above there's a and wh [portlandonline.com]
Re: (Score:2)
As for the cost:
Probably the most practic
It won't work. (Score:1, Troll)
Microsoft says, "Me Too!" (Score:5, Interesting)
Does anyone have an example of a truly original idea that came out of Microsoft AND was successful industry leader?
Re:Microsoft says, "Me Too!" (Score:5, Insightful)
Inventing new stuff is one thing - producing it in a mass-market easy-to-digest way is another. The latter is where the money is.
Re: (Score:2)
When in reality it's MSFT just shoves their version down your throat through illegal, and quasi-legal actions.
Just remember MSFT does average in every venture they try where they can't use their monopoly position. Remember WebTV/MSFT TV ? MSFT's list of failures is greater than that of Apples. And Apples had a pretty impressive li
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Surprised? (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
Hmmm. Zune? (Score:1, Offtopic)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Given that Zune only uses WiFi in peer-to-peer mode for sharing songs, I don't think it'll benefit much from having an infrastructure WiFi network. However, having a stake in WiFi adoption may persuade Microsoft to decripple the WiFi in the Zune.
Its a hope at any rate.
Funny... (Score:2)
Microsoft FTW!
Municipal Wifi sounds great on paper BUT... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
I was gonna make a Squirt remark (Score:1)
That's just wrong.
Can't stop now I'm on a roll... (Score:1)
Wii Fi Foe Fum? I smell the blood of a Poe Ke Mon
SSH (Score:2, Insightful)
If they don't allow SSH, it's a crippled connection (port 80 only?) that will also break other network services people expect (VPN, etc.).
Municipal WiFi should be provided as a service (free or otherwise) and should not be limited.
It's more than just WiFi (Score:1)
No doubt the WiFi stuff will have a similar catch...
It's not about immediate application. (Score:3, Insightful)
Thinking points from the article (Score:3, Interesting)
FTA:
Or perhaps, in order to use the wireless network, install "client" software that forces the changes in the search preferences or home page.
This may be true for John Q. Public who installs that "essential" Roadrunner CD that gives them a branded IE and Roadrunner homepage. For many of these users, they just don't know any better. They are the ones who always use a search engine to go to the same web site over and over again as opposed to typing in the URL or setting a bookmark. I consider a wireless connection just that; a CONNECTION. It's a connection to go where *I* want to go, and to use the search engine *I* want to use. If I have to use a particular client to use a wireless connection, I'll find another connection.
So for users like myself, this argument doesn't work.
Didn't cable TV start like this? You pay a subscription fee every month, and you get these wonderful cable channels that don't have advertising; they are supported by your subscription fees. I'm canceling cable because I don't like paying for channels to advertise to me; heck, late-night cable channels are nothing BUT "infomercials" and there's no way I'm paying for THAT.
The next question that would arise is: how long before the Wi-Fi access becomes ad-subsidized, in order to keep the "low low price of $19.95 per month"? A paid subscripting reduces the number of ads, but doesn't eliminate them. I mean, who has the deeper pockets, the public who would use this set-up or Madison Avenue?
I would like to see a study like this: what brings more revenue, a ad-supported model or subscription-based model.
It depends on how you ask the question.
Q1: "Would you be willing to sign up for FREE wireless service in your area?"
Q2: "Would you be willing to view ads in exchange for free wireless service in your area?"
Regarding what Mr. Haas says about the fee-based vs. ad-based sign-up rates: if a user is signing up for a free service, but not the paid service, how long do you think that user will put up with the ads shown? How long will that user be an active user? How often will that user actually use the service? If something is free, it's easier to walk away from it, as you have lost nothing. If you pay for the service, it's because it's important enough to have it and you're less likely to walk away from it. Sure, "free" might get you "orders of magnitude" more subscribers, but 2-to-20 is just as much an "order of magnitude" jump as 10,000-to-100,000. Real, actual numbers would be more telling.
If They Really Wanted to Make a Difference... (Score:2)
Muni broadband = net neutrality (Score:2, Interesting)
Customer loyalty? (Score:2)
Why do we need any of them? (Score:2)
Such was the dream. But, by "municipalizing" the cloud, we introduce political and corporate control of public airwaves, with the usual start-out-low-and-then-gouge monetization scheme that will always boil the frog until he's payin
Re: (Score:2)
There are similar projects going on in many European cities. Here it is simpler than in the US, because of the shorter distances involved.
Re: (Score:2)
And the Loser is... (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
Moo (Score:1)
Isn't that what the cromags do?