Free WiFi Planned for National Mall

[Alex Fraser]

    Not knowing for sure, but I think a considerable portion of the 
budget would go for purchasing bandwidth into the internet.  Would they 
use a T1 for every hotspot?  What is the government rate for a T1 per 
month?  Street price in the burbs hovers around  ~$500, I would think it 
higher in DC proper. Internet access is a recurring cost and dwarfs the 
cost of the equipment which is really low.
    And while we are talking about hotspots I will put a plug in for the 
Hinternet.
Hinternet?  This is what the ARRL HSMM (High Speed Multi Media) working 
group is calling the amateur implementation of 802.11 wifi  networking.  
It would be possible and legal to set up a wifi hotspot for ham use 
under part 97 rules.  The working group suggests channels 2-6 in order 
to stay within our band. Issues of content, IDing and security have been 
gone over, discussed, considered, rediscussed and reconsidered for over 
a year.  We are good to go.

Robert E. Seastrom wrote:

>Paul Rinaldo <prinaldo at mindspring.com> writes:
>
>  
>
>> Frisbee-throwers and lawmakers alike could soon be able to
>> access free wireless Internet on Washington's National Mall
>> under a plan announced by a nonprofit group on Wednesday.
>>...
>> The group said it planned to install up to six more access
>> points, or "hot spots," at an initial cost of $250,000.
>>    
>>
>
>Holy you-know-what...  $41666 apiece?  Does that involve a six digit
>salary for the two guys who throw darts at a map to figure out where
>they're gonna put 'em?
>
>I figure $10k apiece would be generous, and that a lean-and-mean
>organization that was used to cutting costs aggressively could do it
>for $4k each or less.
>
>                                        ---Rob
>
>
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........ Alex Fraser  N3DER .........
......... beatnic at comcast.net .......
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