Adelaide’s WiFi network illegal in Dublin - A WiFi Update

• Author: johnnymestizo
• Filed under: Gadgets & Technology, Link Post
• Date: Jan 13,2008
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It seems our beloved Adelaide Citilan is illegal under EU law with the Dublin City Council rejecting plans for blanket wireless coverage of the Irish city in early January 2008.

The Citilan enjoyed in Adelaide’s CBD categorised as a municipal Wi-Fi. It is a joint venture from Adelaide City Council, m.net, AirNet and Internode. It provides wireless Internet to mobile PC users throughout the the main areas of the city. Read more: How to use free WiFi Internet on Rundle Mall

A similar venture has been abandoned by Dublin City Council as it would be illegal under European Union state aid laws. Claims have also been made by the British Labour government that the Dublin City Council has been pressured by existing commercial operators to discard of the project. Read more: Dublin’s free Wi-Fi falls foul of competition law

It seems municipal WiFi (mass wireless networks provided by the state) is a failed business model and impossible to maintain without government costs spiralling out of control. The 700 Mhz wireless band isn’t even licensed to WiFi making it prone to interference and poor performance. Hopes of the free WiFi blanket networks are squashed by taxpayer reluctance, limited demand and inadequate technology. Even the massive Google/EarthLink has failed where they hoped Internet ad revenue could fund a free city WiFi network. Read more: US municipal Wi-Fi loses its shine
or from the Australian perspective: Municipal WiFi in Australia - Broadband projects an embarrassing, expensive failure

Biggest WiFi City - The Winner is London. Pushed over the line by business users who make up of the main contingent. No. 1 London beats No. 2 New York and No. 3 Chicago. It is believed to be caused by businesses using the WiFi network as a necessity with dual-mode cellular/Wi-Fi BlackBerry and Nokia phones being the mobile workers gadget of choice. Read more: London is world’s biggest Wi-Fi hotspot city

Australian WiFi uptake this year is a world record according to iPass a data analysis company monitoring 80,000 hotspots in 85 countries. Australia’s 2007 WiFi uptake growth rate is 140% from 2006 with Germany coming in second at 126%. Australia also makes a claim to WiFi fame coming in No. 8 in the Top 10 Countries utilising WiFi providing 2% of the worlds WiFi users. Read More: iPass Wi-Fi Hotspot Index Report

I fear that free mass blanket Wifi coverage, even though still booming in some parts undeveloped, is being limited by the business mode and the technology, hence affecting the demand for future growth to remain booming. That fear has now been obliterated. Let me introduce you to the future standard of wireless Internet - WiMax. It provides nomadic connectivity long range. Yes, WiMax has been around since 2001 but only recently (since 19th Oct 07) has it officially been recognised by the ITU as a 3G (IMT-2000) standard allowing it licenced access to the 2.5GHz-2.69GHz spectrum. Read more: Broadband Horizons