PersonalTelcoUnderConstruction, is an (in some ways) improved, but not yet complete or polished, version of PersonalTelco (the wiki homepage). PersonalTelcoConstructed, on the other hand, is a page DanRasmussen thinks is ready (or nearly ready) to replace the PersonalTelco homepage as-is. I welcome your suggestions on this page. Still working on merging improvements from PersonalTelcoConstructed into it. -- DanRasmussen 2012-03-28 13:07:54 Moved much active-PTPer-info to Dashboard page - -- DanRasmussen 2012-03-29 12:11:29
Future Improvements
- Links in more places - wiki a multitude of great content - let's make use of it
Strengthen Want to Build a Better Tomorrow section with better explanation/links
- Calendar takes up a lot of space, as does text about next meeting.
- Contact section also takes up a bit of space...
Introducing Personal Telco
Personal Telco is a collection of individuals, businesses, and organizations who share -- or plan to share -- internet connectivity rather than hoard it. It's also a group of volunteers who want this network to grow. We believe internet access should be available, fair, and uncensored. Personal Telco Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Portland, Oregon. (Link to "AboutThePTP" page instead of previous sentence? Keep introduction concise!) You can help us help everybody with a donation of your time, money, or bandwidth. If you don't live in Portland, there may be a similar group near you (Link! / Wikipedia?). If not, maybe you could start one!
TODO: Move this section elsewhere on website. Good to mention these benefits but probably best not here...
Portland, Oregon is a dense urban area. It's a waste of time, money, electricity, and natural resources for each business, household, and apartment renter to sign up for internet service, wait for a maintenance worker, buy or rent a router, configure that router, and then individually help every customer, employee, family member or visiting friend to connect to their wifi hotspot. It can be much easier!
Want Internet?
Personal Telco Project operates numerous open-access free-to-the-end-user networks around the city, thanks to the generosity of our hosts. Check out our wifi map.
- Benefits of PTP vs. open wifi APs
- Network effects. Describe useful things people can do when on the same network as their neighbors (separate page)
- Note: suggest PTP to businesses, organizations, individuals
- Suggestion: thank businesses, organizations, individuals who are using PTP nodes / having open wifi
- These pages could be useful:
Want to Help?
Personal Telco welcomes all comers. Whether you're a technology wizard or technically incompetent, volunteering with us is a great way to learn something new, enjoy teaching others, or use your skills to do something useful (or delightfully, artistically, hilariously non-useful!) Sign up for our mailing list, drop by our IRC live chat, or attend a meeting!
- Link to ways individuals can help
Want to Host a Network?
Are you an individual, business, housing project, neighborhood group or other organization that would consider sharing your internet connection with your friends and neighbors? There are many benefits to doing so, and only a few drawbacks — most of which can be overcome or minimized. Get in touch to learn more!
Mention potential benefits and potential drawbacks. Probably on a separate page! These pages could be useful:
PersonalTelcoHandbook (is this included or copied: PotentialNodeOwner ?) - Russell said most people don't read this, would rather deal with humans. Previously, "Have a look at the PersonalTelcoHandbook to get started."
Want to Build a Better Tomorrow?
-- DanRasmussen doesn't think this part of the page is ready for prime time yet, but it's a good start! Here's his reading of it.
Telecommunications Policy in the United States is badly broken. Virtually everywhere, last-mile infrastructure (the wires that bring telephone and cable service to you) has been left to a monopolized private sector, that no one is willing or able to regulate. Users (you and me) are just renters, subject to the whim of the owners (the telephone and cable companies). As a result, the users of the networks are left with extremely limited choices, and abusive pricing and terms of service. The Personal Telco Project wants networks that serve the interests of their users, not just the creativity-stifling, abundance-limiting, self-interested, profit-maximizing overlords. Help us realize user-empowering telecommunications policy(5). Talk to us(6), talk to your representatives in government(7). Demand sanity(8).
(5) What do we want instead? Is anybody working on anything? (6) This sentence probably won't lead anybody to talk to us. They don't know what we want (yet), or what they'll get out of talking to us about it (7) We should make this easier. I'm probably not the only one who doesn't know who our representatives are, or how to contact them. And if I did, I still don't know what we're contacting them about. (8) Sanity sounds too strong here - we haven't adequately explained how telecommunications policy is insane. Maybe we could compare policy in the USA to that in Europe/Canada/wherever it's better...
Contact Us
The Nature of Personal Telco
The PTP is an all-volunteer organization: many of us have neck beards. Therefore, please be patient if you do not get an immediate reply! But don't worry. We have a good track record, we care about what we do, and we will respond to your communications as soon as possible.
Subject Matter |
Contact |
General Questions / Help |
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<ops AT personaltelco DOT net> |
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Personal Telco's Website* |
<webmaster AT personaltelco DOT net> |
Get Involved |
* Our website is a wiki. That means you can edit it yourself! Learn how, then try it out!
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Weekly Meeting
When: Wednesday, July 9, 2025, 6:30-8:00pm
Where: NodeLuckyLabSW
five random wiki pages: NodeArborLodge, PersonalTelco/2024-10-09, PersonalTelco/2016-01-06, TroyJaqua, PersonalTelco/2013-08-28