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