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