Will Wirless spread after 2008?

Do you guys think that with the upcoming termination of over the air broadcasting that this could spell the proliferation of wireless ISP network services? I know it seems like a good oportunity to get in on the ground floor if this will be the case especially in security since from experience I know that many people and services don't bother to secure their connections. Just sniffing around with my PSP just in my own apt complex I can find about a dozen open connections :D A few people that I've met I've told them they should or taught them how to secure it but there is still a large number of open lines :confused:
At the same time I wonder if this won't come to pass since many of the services waiting to bid on the bandwidth are cell carriers like T-Mobile and Verizon who only seem interested in spreading their own services. Any comments on this?

More cities seem to be talking about making city-wide WiFi a reality, but I have some legitimate concerns about all of it. First of all, there seems to be some questions about wireless signals and thier impact on the human body. No one wants to claim the signals are 100% safe (especially on cell phones). Even if this turns out to be a non-issue, I personally have problems with cities providing a wireless infrastructure. My own opinion is that governments shouldn't be the provider of all things, mainly because I feel they aren't ever the best means of doing so. For example, the roads in my city/state are in terrible shape in many places, and the maintenance of these roads has been the their responsibility for decades! Also, not everyone in a city will benefit from WiFi, so why should everyone pay for it? Lastly, what limitations will such services have on minors? As everyone knows, there are many sites out there not suitable for children, and it would be much harder for parents to monitor thier child's activities on a city-wide network. Right now, a parent can chose to not have internet, or at least have restrictions. An all-access wifi would be like running HBO and Showtime into every home and every room in the house. :eek:

While I probably sound like a raving lunatic, I at least hope that these questions are being asked in the pilot cities. I know that an internet connection in every home has been a dream of politicians since the mid-90s, but I do hope they've thought this thing through. Otherwise it will be another poor use of taxpayer money. :rolleyes:

Hmmm. good point. I guess I had some tunnel vision and had not considered how this might impact kids as well. I was mainly thinking about security in terms of data theft. Now that I think about it, it might be possible in a city with all out wi-fi for a predator to somehow lure and track down a child on a wireless connection. I don't know the specifics but I'm sure that if someone is thinking about it someone has already done it.

I see the benefit of wireless mainly for reaching out of the way rural areas but I know there are a lot of kinks to fix along the way. Government intrusion would probably mean a lot of holes, degraded performance but most definitely those who pay the most would get the best service while we get the shaft.

One thing I was wondering. Would the signal strength/speed also vary from place to place just like the TV signal does?

I'm sure it would. I'd imagine that some things would be better in the right places, just like it is for many other services and utilities. ;)

Another concern for me is that the Federal government has basically given the okay to states for RFID driver's licenses, which I'd think would tie into this WiFi movement. Imagine the benefits, then imagine the negatives. It's not too far from more big-brother government. I'm not really a paranoid millitia man or anything, but this technology can be presented for a good purpose but then turn on us on a legislative whim. Right now we only track our criminals out on parole, but soon we might all get tracked. :eek:

think they are doing something like this in hoxton at the moment?
cant be sure