George Rausch decided in advance of the Phila. network shutdown to release his unfinished documentary: It's about 13 minutes, and isn't edited tightly at this point, but it's rather interesting. Rausch talked to a few network users, Wireless Philadelphia, and a few other people. These are well-spoken, thoughtful people, and it's well shot. I hope Rausch continues to think about how this all fits together after the Wi-Fi network halts operation in a few days.
Change is in the Airwaves: A Documentary about the Philadelphia Wireless Initiative from George Rausch on Vimeo.
This is a very interesting film. One thing that people seem to forget with WIFI in general, is understanding that the transmitter on the light pole is much more powerful then that little USB wifi adapter on your laptop.
It is very much like the transmitter on the pole is shouting at you, you can barely hear it, and you are whispering back at it. It can't hear you. Unless you use a CPE, or a separate adapter close to the window or outside, you are not going to work.
This is not like a cell phone. All though cell phones have dead spots as well.
We have been running a wireless network in Phila for over 5 years. We are currently concentrating on business internet, but ran a residential service, until Earthlink came in to town. We decided that the frequencies that both Earthlink and Vector180 use to communicate with the users laptops, is way to crowded. It is unlicensed channels and are used from everything from Cordless phones to Nintendo DS's.
So the issue of many sources to pick from as indicated in the video is true, but so many are interfering with the rest, as well as Earthlink transmitters interfering with them as well.
So what do we do, to help out Wireless Phila?
Come up with a new model that concentrates on the low income sector that has support from the private sector.
Comments?
Bob Kelly
VP Operations/GM
Vector180 LLC
www.vector180.com
Bandwidth solutions for business