Comments on: Why does everyone want to kill WiFi? http://manypossibilities.net/2008/03/why-does-everyone-want-to-kill-wifi/ In the beginner's mind there are... Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:32:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Alexandre http://manypossibilities.net/2008/03/why-does-everyone-want-to-kill-wifi/comment-page-1/#comment-24 Alexandre Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:28:07 +0000 http://manypossibilities.net/2008/03/why-does-everyone-want-to-kill-wifi/#comment-24 Thanks for the link and insight. Cellular monopoly was an issue in Mali, a few years ago, but it still seemed to me that cellphones may have made more sense in that context than laptops. VoIP cells would probably make a lot of sense, especially if devices can switch from one network to the other. Any hope for mesh networking? Thanks for the link and insight. Cellular monopoly was an issue in Mali, a few years ago, but it still seemed to me that cellphones may have made more sense in that context than laptops. VoIP cells would probably make a lot of sense, especially if devices can switch from one network to the other.
Any hope for mesh networking?

]]> By: Steve Song http://manypossibilities.net/2008/03/why-does-everyone-want-to-kill-wifi/comment-page-1/#comment-23 Steve Song Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:06:33 +0000 http://manypossibilities.net/2008/03/why-does-everyone-want-to-kill-wifi/#comment-23 Cell phone penetration in South Africa is pretty high but it is still overpriced and expensive for the urban and rural poor. There is also not much real competition in the marketplace. The reason I like VOIP/WiFi as a "technology" solution is that it is not necessarily dependent on telephone company supply chains. It is consumer/entrepreneur deployable. Have a look at <a href="http://manypossibilities.net/2008/03/dabba/" rel="nofollow">Dabba.co.za</a> to see how this is working. Cell phone penetration in South Africa is pretty high but it is still overpriced and expensive for the urban and rural poor. There is also not much real competition in the marketplace. The reason I like VOIP/WiFi as a “technology” solution is that it is not necessarily dependent on telephone company supply chains. It is consumer/entrepreneur deployable. Have a look at Dabba.co.za to see how this is working.

]]> By: Alexandre http://manypossibilities.net/2008/03/why-does-everyone-want-to-kill-wifi/comment-page-1/#comment-22 Alexandre Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:04:16 +0000 http://manypossibilities.net/2008/03/why-does-everyone-want-to-kill-wifi/#comment-22 Funny how quick to judgement people can be. It seems that some people are waiting anxiously for the "be all, end all" solution to all wireless connectivity issues. Call me naïve but I just don't know why these wireless technologies can't coexist in the relatively long term. Some of these may merge at some point but one technology's dominance doesn't imply obsolescence of all related technologies. So, it seems to me that people don't necessarily want to kill WiFi. They just want to which technology will "win" so that they can invest in it. Part of it is a self-fulfilling prophecy. And part of it is technology-induced rivalry. Chances are, though, cellphone penetration in ZA is relatively high. As computers and cellphones become somehow equivalent to one another, the competition between WiFi, WiMAX, and mobile broadband might heat up. Knowing which technology will win is more of a game than a way to help user communities. Funny how quick to judgement people can be. It seems that some people are waiting anxiously for the “be all, end all” solution to all wireless connectivity issues.
Call me naïve but I just don’t know why these wireless technologies can’t coexist in the relatively long term. Some of these may merge at some point but one technology’s dominance doesn’t imply obsolescence of all related technologies.
So, it seems to me that people don’t necessarily want to kill WiFi. They just want to which technology will “win” so that they can invest in it. Part of it is a self-fulfilling prophecy. And part of it is technology-induced rivalry.

Chances are, though, cellphone penetration in ZA is relatively high. As computers and cellphones become somehow equivalent to one another, the competition between WiFi, WiMAX, and mobile broadband might heat up. Knowing which technology will win is more of a game than a way to help user communities.

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