Personal Telco - ITEC Conference September 2001

Our Mission Statement

• Personal Telco is a grass roots effort to empower people to build the infrastructure through which their data flows. By creating, packaging and disseminating Open Source tools, documentation and community support we are building citywide networks, which are open to and maintained by the public.

What That Means

• Rather than truly participate in the Internet, most of us are now forced into becoming Internet consumers by paying monthly fees for access to larger commercial resources. We believe this creates an Internet community populated by those who have the luxury to afford it. The recent availability of high speed, low cost wireless equipment offers a solution by allowing local communities to build networks which are not dependant on traditional network infrastructure. Personal Telco supports the reinvention of community operated networks and the ideals of an information democracy. By using a combination of technical savvy, community support, and a "do it yourself" attitude we are building our own telecommunications infrastructure which is owned by the community and can be used by anyone for free.

What We've Done

• I'd like to put some crap here about what we've actually accomplished.

How To Contribute

• Personal Telco is entirely run by volunteers so there are plenty of opportunities for beginners and experts alike to help out. If you would like to join the fun the best way is to show up to one of our monthly meetings. Meetings normally start at 6:00PM and are held at the Lucky Lab (SE Hawthorne and 9th) on the last Wednesday of the month (please check the web site for details). You can find more information at these links:

  Web Site	http://www.personaltelco.net/
  Mailing List	http://www.personaltelco.net/index.cgi/MailingList
  Monthly Meetings	http://www.personaltelco.net/index.cgi/MonthlyMeeting
  Node Map	http://www.pdxwireless.org/

Not From Portland

• Want to join in but not from Portland? We maintain a list of community networks all over the world here: http://www.personaltelco.net/index.cgi/WirelessCommunities

Personal Telco would like to thank Easy Street for supporting our project and generously sharing their booth at ITEC with us.

Originally written by AdamShand.

Comments Here:

• Thanks to DanRichardson for the information democracy bit. Great alternative politics buzzword compliance -- Adam.

• Yea, I like how you worked that information democracy line in there...good job. In the last paragraph..."a like" should be one word, "alike"

  (haha) just noticed someone changed it just before I wrote that -ScottMcClung

• Dang I was too slow.. lost my edits, too. Ugh - DanRichardson

  • Change "we pay monthly fees.." to "by paying monthly fees..."
    • done. -- Adam.

  • "We believe that this is a powerless and dependent situation for a consumer to be in." Not into this statement... how about "We believe that this situation forces the consumer .." hmm.. "yet another monthly bill" "Rates always rising" "Internet only for those who can affford it". by the way, EasyStreet ain't gonna like that statement "We believe that this creates an Internet community populated by only those who have the luxury to afford it"

    • After a random trial, you win My objection now is that the first and second sentence don't really follow from each other. One's about everyone's freedom ones about the digital divide. I'm thinking about it still, suggestions welcome. -- Adam.

  • "Personal Telco supports the ... information democracy." "Personal Telco supports the reinvention of community - by empowering the members of the community to operate their own network and foster ideals of an information democracy."
    • I like the sentiment but not how it's said. I love the word "empower" but you gotta be really careful how you use it. It's a power word. -- Adam.
• Crap, I think it's overedited now and it's lost it's honesty. I hate that. People who read this for the first time please leave feedback. If you want to see the original version click on the "i" button (top right) and choose the newest of the first bunch of changes by me. If that makes any sense. - Adam.

• Changes suggested by LonnieWormley

  • city wide to citywide

  • networks which to networks, which

  • dependant to dependent

  • community operated to community-operated

  • completely volunteer to completely a volunteer

    • all pretty much done. - Adam.
• How about more facts and less politics. Bullet points might include:
  • Number of members
  • accomplishments
  • resources
  • 802.11b benefits
  • profiles of a few local members
  • local suppliers
  • local 802 maps
  • other helpful info

I don't think the political thrust is all that persuasive to this crowd. - Sam

Maybe have a teaser intro that describes what could happen with a free wireless network in their community... "Wondering when the next bus is coming? Pull out your iPAQ and find out. Want to get away from the cubicle and into the park? Need directions to your next appointment?, etc etc." I think the "oh-gosh-wow" factor will get more mileage than the "rape-the-telcos-information-is-free" --GeneMerrill

Good points, however I don't have time to write it before Tuesday and get everything else done as well. If someone wants to work on ItecHandout2 then I'm up for that as well. I could coble this together from other stuff I'd written. - Adam.

The PDF File

The [http://www.launi.com/dc/ptp-promo/ptp-blurb1.pdf Itec Hand Out] draft is ready for review. Please make comments directly to the Setup list by 9/22/01 5:00 PM. I'll incorporate all comments and update the file. JeffKnox will print the final file on 9/23/01.

• -- LonnieWormley

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