January 19, 2006

Advocates of Wi-Fi in Cities Learn Art of Politics - New York Times

Advocates of Wi-Fi in Cities Learn Art of Politics - New York Times

A dream, a hope, an advocacy for free WiFi will have some success in some places. Because someone has to pay for networks, most access will require money from the user. Unlimited free lunches are rare, indeed.

Of more importance is the notion of 'network neutrality' espoused by grassroots advocates and many others. This is a very legitimate policy debate now underway in the context of revisions to the Telecommunications Act of 1996. In fact, the Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on this topic in February.

My initial thoughts are that those who have invested in the plumbing of the Internet deserve to be fairly compensated for that investment. Content and the attachment of legal, non-harmful devices should not be restricted, but customer expectations for the high quality delivery of that content should be met when they pay for that quality of service.

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