Comments on: You Are Paying Too Much For WiFi

By: almostgotit

almostgotit — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:13:47 +0000

There may be one internet, but it is housed on thousands of interlinking computer server hosts. Your internet provider is also managing the computer hardware hosts through which you access the ‘net, and they do cost money to buy and maintain.

I agree that access should be free, somehow. Perhaps businesses who sell through the ‘net should pay some sort of tax for the privilege? Hmmm… I’ve never thought of this before!

By: Laurie

Laurie — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:42:08 +0000

Obviously I’m not Paul Krugman so I have no idea how this works. By free, I might mean that it’s built and paid for by a thoughtful contract with a telecom, maybe a bond issue, maybe a line in the federal budget, and we start using the internet for everything and it’s paid for in a few years by increased economic activity and through a growth in the e-economy.

It’s better than paying $9.95 for the Boingo hotspot at the airport.

By: Tracy Tran

Tracy Tran — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:17:22 +0000

Universal WiFi? I hope it works out, but then again, we pay extra for extra bags onto the plane, pay $1.50 for a bottle of water, $8 for hot dogs in stadiums, and pay $4 to refill our gas.

Oh yeah, we live in a Capitalist country. We must squirt every single cent of each person to get our “return on investment” Be careful of breathing, it costs 5 cents per breath.

By: Lance Haun

Lance Haun — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:11:01 +0000

Who is going to pay for the infrastructure and maintenance of the free wi-fi system? It seems like we should pay for it based on who uses it or everyone (regardless of use) has to pay for it through taxpayer funds.

Neither of those are free.

How about people come up with a solution that is actually free and I will be on board with it?

By: gemellen

gemellen — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:41:44 +0000

This? is brilliant.

By: michael cardus

michael cardus — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:27:58 +0000

I have no idea why this is so either.
I am freightened when I read about Japan, India, and other countries that have universal WiFi.
Why in America do we allow ourselves to spend so much?

By: Kelly O

Kelly O — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:54:37 +0000

I certainly can’t explain it, but I like your idea much better. We are “too far off the road” for our high speed cable internet, however the unnamed but they know who they are internet/cable provider installed it when my brother lived here and now are basically trying to get out of servicing us. It is definitely a pain to be told “hate it, but you can’t have high speed internet if this tanks.”