This is a ongoing brain dump.
8/9/01 One of the big problems is getting enough wireless access points in an area to create a critical mass of users. Quite a few people have DSL - and in Portland, I think that they have it through Qwest. What if Qwest replaced the DSL routers with a combo- Dsl router/ wireless access box? The wireless portion would use the 'excess' bandwidth that's available to most DSL customers. While I know this doesn't fit in with the charter of the group - to create a telco-free product, this would give users (you and me) the wireless access we want. Imagine if every DSL customer was also a wireless accesspoint? Sure, some of them live in metal boxes, (like we do) but then they could (maybe for a kick-back from the telco company) put up an outdoor antenna.
I wonder what % of DSL customers also have laptops? What % would be willing to pay to replace their routers?
8/9/01 Wireless Co-op. We get enough people together to pay for a t-1, some equipement and some tower space. This gets internet into each persons home (Like Seaside wants to do) Then each person installs a co-op CPE that consists of a box with two wireless cards, 1 to connect to the tower via a directional attenna, and one to serve the local area via an omni. The box would also have some kind of mobile IP server to support other co-op members roaming on this access point.