| A collection of recent articles describes how Wi-Fi | | | | Comment:You had to know something was up |
| internet is going to bring with it many benefits, | | | | when with the future of your phone service when |
| but it will first have to overcome the opposition | | | | eBay was willing to pay $4 billion to purchase the |
| of telephone and cable companies.Free Phone | | | | Voice over IP company Skype a few weeks |
| CallsAccording to eBay's chief executive Meg | | | | ago.Over the past ten years SBC (new name AT |
| Whitman, within a few years, customers may be | | | | & T) and Verizon have spent tens of billions of |
| able to make telephone calls for free, with no | | | | dollars building telecom empires so they could |
| per-minute charges, while the carriers make | | | | dominate the industry and, without question, |
| money on advertising or transaction fees.This | | | | currently dominate the industry as together they |
| statement was made during a discussion of | | | | control nearly two-thirds of all residential phone |
| eBay's purchase of web-based communications | | | | lines in the US.But the Internet WILL change all |
| phenomenon Skype Technologies. The company is | | | | that and these companies are not prepared for it. |
| hoping that by combining electronic markets, | | | | They will lose 40% of their land line residential |
| online payment systems, and Web-based | | | | customers over the next ten years. This week's |
| communications, it can become a leader in all | | | | NY Times also reported how the smaller Internet |
| three areas.Skype allows members to make free | | | | providers, like Earthlink, are battling these giants.It |
| Web-based calls to each other, and has more | | | | is becoming increasingly clear that your connection |
| than 57 million registered users. EBay believes | | | | to the Internet will replace your phone service. |
| Skype's growth will drive down voice | | | | The key will not to have a cell phone or a land line |
| communications costs down to nothing over the | | | | but an Internet connection. Because if you have |
| next three to six years.Rural Wi-FiOne major | | | | an Internet connection, you will be able to get |
| hurdle in the growth of Voice Over Internet | | | | your phone service for free.Now I am not talking |
| telephony, however, is the inconsistency of Wi-Fi | | | | about connecting your desktop or notebook into |
| availability. So it's interesting to note that a | | | | an Ethernet cable, but using a wireless connection, |
| desolate area in Oregon has become the world's | | | | in many ways not very different than your cell |
| largest Wi-Fi hotspot, a region that stretches over | | | | phone. Currently the wireless internet is restricted |
| 700 square miles.Wireless projects in more | | | | to WiFi which is only good for hundreds of feet. |
| metropolitan areas have been stymied by | | | | However, that will soon change when WiFi is |
| telephone and cable TV companies, which have | | | | morphed into WiMax and your connection will be |
| spent large amounts of money lobbying state and | | | | good for 25 miles or more.You can start to see |
| local governments to pass bills aimed at | | | | the trend. Google has offered tomake San |
| discouraging competition.In the country, however, | | | | Francisco wireless last month, and now Philadelphia |
| large corporations see little profit potential, which | | | | and as the article aboverural Oregonare close |
| enabled wireless entrepreneur Fred Ziari to build a | | | | behind.Lobbying from cable and phone providers |
| $5 million wireless network, at his own expense, | | | | have stymied many projects in major urban |
| without restrictions. Already, the network has | | | | markets across the country. Philadelphia's plan to |
| revolutionized the way business, emergency | | | | build a citywide WiFi network sparked state |
| planning, and police work are conducted, along | | | | legislators (prompted by phone and cable |
| with many other businesses and services.Ziari's | | | | companies) to limit every other town in the state |
| network is free to the public; he is recouping his | | | | to do the same thing!The biggest obstacle to |
| investment through contracts with city and | | | | creating these cheap wireless networks isn't the |
| county agencies and larger businesses.Even as | | | | building of them, according to experts. According |
| Wi-Fi hotspots continue to increase, with more | | | | to the Wi-Fi Alliance, it's more a matter of |
| than 70,000 currently registered around the world, | | | | "who's-going-to-get-a-piece-of-the-action?".What |
| only a very few major cities have complete Wi-Fi | | | | Does All This Mean For YOU?One thing you can |
| access across their entire area.Different | | | | be certain of is change. So please be careful |
| Approaches to Wi-Fi for CitiesHowever, a handful | | | | about signing any long term contracts with your |
| of municipalities across the nation using a variety | | | | phone company as it with virtually near certainty I |
| of approaches to introduce full-coverage Wi-Fi, in | | | | can assure you that the future of your phone |
| spite of the opposition from the telephone and | | | | service will not resemble anything you have seen |
| cable companies. Rio Rancho, New Mexico, has a | | | | in the past and, best of all, odds are very high it |
| solution employing a network of 400 access | | | | will be free.Next week I will be writing about the |
| points, while Manassas, Virginia, is employing a | | | | cell phone carrier that has just signed a long-term |
| broadband over power line (PBL) | | | | contract with the US Defense Department that |
| approach.Madison, Wisconsin is getting their | | | | seems to secure their position as the leading cell |
| citywide Wi-Fi, with the help of a firm supplying | | | | phone carrier in the US.This article is reprinted |
| real-time automated meter reading for the utilities | | | | from Mercola.com, the world's #1 most visited |
| industry. It will be installed at no cost to the city, | | | | and trusted natural/alternative health website. For |
| as the providers have secured initial funding from | | | | a limited time only, you can take the FREE |
| service agreements from ISPs.Even in the face of | | | | "Metabolic Type Test" to help you learn the right |
| corporate opposition, municipal wireless networks | | | | foods for your particular body type so you can |
| are expected to grow by 128 percent annually by | | | | achieve optimal fitness & health. Just go to right |
| 2007.Wired News October 16, 2005Yahoo News | | | | now to take this quick test! |
| October 20, October 21, 2005Dr. Mercola's | | | | |