WLF-NET Portland Jan 2001
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NEW AMATEUR and
COMMUNITY WLANS
The
technical innovation of licence exempt Wireless Networks
releasing high speed data interconnections from
buildings, makes it possible to develop something
entirely new in ICT namely "Amateur and Community
LANs". These are not-for-profit,local community
owned and managed Social ICTbroad band
networks. They introduce the welcome prospect of
completely profit-free broadband internet access, local
non-commercial (internet) radio, television, telephone
and video communications....... delivered via a local
small community owned co-operative, business or
club. (e.g. see The
National Telephone Cooperative Association )
Profit free broadband access can give access to high
quality video media for all sections of the community
such as the very young, sick, elderly, unemployed and
disadvantaged. Free high speed broadband access
additionally offers quality internet based
face-to-face conferencing, counseling and cosmopolitan
initiatives in culture and education which would
otherwise for many years to come be the exclusive gift of
wealthy upmarket consumers and businesses alone. Free
broadband will be of enormous permanent benefit to
children and young people and poorly resourced lower
schools without their own telephones, ISDN or 'DSL etc.
It can enhance "teleworking" just by its speed
and immediate realisation of quality face-to-face
video. It can encourage interest and self-training
in all aspects of Community Media as well as technical
Network Administration and Systems Development as
widespread enthusiast activities (like Ham Radio)
hitherto not seen perhaps since the Amateur BBS FidoNet
BBS days of the 1980s and early 1990s.
This provision of free, quality, high speed broadband
access to a network can encourage participation in modern
neighbourhood community development offering free local
mobile telephone calls and the lowest cost internet
access.
Initial studies show that our not-for-profit ethic can
deliver end user connections for 7% of the existing
commercial costs. By being provided at its real low cost,
wireless broadband community internet can reduce our
dependence on the remote decisions of commercial
companies as well as bringing broadband to communities
that cannot or will not be reached by cable or 'DSL
services.
"Who is to Bell the
Cat?" http://www.wlan.org.uk/weiner2.htm
Henry O'Tani
G8OTA
Hon. Sec. Mendip Amateur Radio Repeater Group
Bath
England
February 2000
This site is dedicated to The
Instigators
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