= Personal Telco Exports =

This page has information for those interested in starting their own community wifi group. Reading these documents might save you some time!

I've created this page partly as an exercise in learning, and have numerous questions. If you can answer any of them, [[NeedsUpdate|please do]]. I wrote this page to a hypothetical audience, and my motivation to offer complete information here might increase if I'm aware of a real audience. Let me know if you find this at all useful. -- DanRasmussen <<DateTime(2012-05-09T07:18:30-0800)>>

== Overview ==
[[PersonalTelcoHandbook]], although some information is stale, provides a good overview of how our community wireless group works.

== Why is Personal Telco organized as a nonprofit? ==
As I understand it, this allows people to make tax-deductible monetary donations to Personal Telco. See [[NonProfitDiscussion]] and [[PolicyLinks]]. (There's also [[NonProfit]] - not positive it's worth including here)

I've read that nonprofit status also makes it easier to insure your group - more useful when you get to the fun stage of community wifi: climbing on rooftops!

From ContactUs: "Personal Telco Project is a Federal Tax Exempt 501(c)(3) and an Oregon Non-profit Corporation." I don't know what this means. Anybody?

== Legal Issues ==
Unless you're seeking publicity, or trying to change laws, one thing most people and organizations find enjoyable is not being sued. Personal Telco has collected some writing on [[LegalIssues]]. Alas, it's not very complete or [[NeedsUpdate|up-to-date]].

== Growth ==
Personal Telco started small. A handful of friends setting up wifi AccessPoints and allowing anybody to connect is one thing. A group that promotes network access on a larger scale, the sharing of ideas, the feeling of community, and education is another.

 * Let people know your network nodes are ''intentionally'' open-to-all <<FootNote(Wifi routers used to come this way, and it took knowledge to keep others off your network. It wasn't clear if a hotspot's owner wanted the wifi to be open, or simply "wasn't a computer person." Lately wifi routers tend to come locked-down out-of-box, and it takes time/knowledge/effort to make them open again.)>>! Our nodes all use "www.personaltelco.net" as the BSSID (hotspot name) - telling people where to get more information. You might want to use our website as your ESSID until you put something of your own together.
 * Make a map of your hotspots. We have one at [[http://map.personaltelco.net/]]
 * Enlarge your group's impact by telling people about it. Personal Telco's [[Publications]] might give you some ideas.