Now that one I have trouble picturing, but take your word for it. Seems like here in South Carolina our Canadian population just keeps rising. The joke down here in March is "Is there anyone left in Canada?"
But, your main point is well taken, John here would seem to have no clue. The US is far from the top in most of the statistics one would consider 'good' and is often near the bottom these days amoung developed countries. While it was true 40 or 50 years ago, the world has caught up and moved past.
Though I really agree with you Rico, there _are_ better, simpler, ways to do this. Many cities have firetrucks carrying "magic wands" which change the traffic lights. Recently, here in Halifax, NS, there's been a stink because some buses are carrying them (no complaints from the bus riders!). One wouldn't implement a municipal net to control traffic lights - though one could certainly take advantage of one that's already there.
It _is_ free if you implement it for the purposes of government networks and allow others to pay to ride along.
LOL. For something slightly faster than dialup, I have to pay $100/month. Now, I have made a choice to live in the sticks and that's fair - but half of my neighbors were born and raised here, they never made that choice and they _can't_ afford high-speed Internet - and dial-up runs no better than
19.2kbps out here.
What's more, they're never likely to be offered it as a "result of competition". The only time business gets interested in offering us such service is _after_ government promises it.
Wireless shouldn't be too expensive for _anyone_ to implement in any area serviced by cell towers. It doesn't have to be 802.11b or g. Cellular wireless doesn't have 802.11b speeds but it still beats dialup.
Many don't and the magic wand only works when you get 'close' to the intersection. In a smaller city the dispatch can shut down interchanges well before the emergency vehicles arrive, setting them green etc to get blocking traffic out of the way. But this is just one use that comes to my mind, there are significant other things that could be done if the city doesn't have to string wire.
The traffic light thing would just be an added benefit, there would be other benefits to the city as well. The point is the cities would very well benefit from such a thing and the taxpayer through user fees could very effectively pay for it. Remember John's main objection is he works for Cingular (BellSouth/SBC), how can he charge the big bucks for his new 3G network if the public can pat small bucks for very effective network access, Cingular might actually have to lower rates...
A local wireless network might not be your answer either. If your population density is too low for better service now in the area, wireless might be too expensive for government to implement. Muni nets work where you have a population density vs area to justify all the weather proof APs required. Of course 802.11N or a 900Mhz solution might work for you and your neighbors.
There would be no telephones or electricity in rural America if not for FDR forcing the companies to service these areas. They aren't profitable. But remeber Navas lives in a very urbanised (SF bay area) environment and it appears he thinks everyone else does as well. And with the density there I can see how he might think everyone in the world lives in that area .
I have no connection to Cingular other than as a paying customer.
We'll actually never know. I think it likely that there would have been service where it made sense, albeit at a price that reflected true costs. Subsidizing rural service doesn't really make sense, either economically or from an environmental standpoint.
While I live in an urban area, I spend much of my time in rural areas.
Hint: You ad hominems don't make your argument any more persuasive.
The additional traffic and necessary support cost real money.
Satellite Internet is available virtually everywhere.
Business gets interested when there's a profit to be made. The usual problem is insufficient market and/or financials to make the business sufficiently attractive.
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