Whirlpool

Good. It was going to be more waste of my money!

news.theage.com.au/nsw-g...080502-2a5t.html

Probably a good idea.

Pretty soon there won't be enough power in the grid to run an access point.

What was the point of the free WiFi?

dannyboi writes...

What was the point of the free WiFi?

Well, in this case, to win some votes :)

Attilla writes...

Well, in this case, to win some votes :)

It made them look as though they were going to do something that might have been useful to a few voters, but like most of their promises (and in this respect most pollies are alike) the chances of it eventuating were slim to non-existent. Overseas experiments showed (and this was apparent when NSW made its "promises") that there was no viable business model in city-wide free wifi. It was offered as a distraction from voters looking at lousy public transport and infrastructure, and it obviously worked. Now they can abandon the concept as the next election is ages away and no-one will remember their empty promises next election (in fact I wouldn't be at all surprised if they promise a WiFi offering then in much the same way that they make the same transport promises every few years but never get around to do more than pass on a few consultancy fees to favoured contractors).

What a suprise! This state government makes promises and not deliver them. Who woulda thunked that?

I do agree though, it was a silly idea in the first place.

I wonder how Kevin Rudd's high speed broadband plan will pan out.

dannyboi writes...

What was the point of the free WiFi?

It was from day 1 a big wank
Surprised Unwired even looked at it - But perhaps I'm NOT

VoIP.ed (mr.wireless) writes...

Surprised Unwired even looked at it - But perhaps I'm NOT

I think it was a chance (possibly their only one) for UNW to get a reasonable number of users and have the Govt pay for it. As it is the best they could do is to put it into a few libraries and have the Council pay for it.

* pardon my III

WP's very own "Richary" is/was hands-on with a trial of wifi on some Sydney area buses. He might like to fill youze in.

Mr Rip Curl writes...

I think it was a chance (possibly their only one) for UNW to get a reasonable number of users

This is interesting:

www.smh.com.au/news/tech...10131264199.html

"Unwired's chief executive, David Spence, said all the company required from the Government was access to building infrastructure such as rooftops."

Methinks access to all those rooftops was what they really wanted.

Attilla writes...

Methinks access to all those rooftops was what they really wanted.

There was another thread a while ago that claimed that telcos can get at commercial building rooftops anyway. Is UNW classed as a telco?

I don't think that UNW have enuf $ to put up BTS everywhere even if have permission to get at rooftops. I suspect Mr Spence is floating a furfy (sp?) now that the scheme has been abandoned, and he can claim just about anything to make his company look good. He still needed someone to pay for his services and if the public were getting free wifi they wouldn't be paying, so it was going to be the govt or we were going to get advertising on all our links.

deeranger writes...

WP's very own "Richary" is/was hands-on with a trial of wifi on some Sydney area buses. He might like to fill youze in.

Sorry for the delay, have been interstate for work.

I saw this announcement as well, though having lived in Adelaide until 6 months ago wasn't aware it had been promised in the first place. I don't have any dealings with Unwired so don't know what their plan was.

Our bus trial is now over but it looks like some sort of rollout will happen over the coming months, stay tuned. I believe the plan is to make it more convenient for commuters to use the bus and increase patronage.

I have always wondered how a free internet business plan can make sense. After all, if the CBD was blanketed in free WiFi why would anyone who lives there bother with ADSL or similar (unless they need the dedicated speed). Internode run free WiFi in parts of Adelaide and the airport - again not really sure what the business model is but the "free" login only allows webpage access and you need to be a paid customer to do other things. Perhaps internode see it as a form of cheap advertising.

richary writes...

I believe the plan is to make it more convenient for commuters to use the bus and increase patronage.

It would have to be a darn sight more accurate than the current 131500 service which just gives next timetabled service and has no idea if a bus has disappeared off the face of the planet! It's "disruptions" section operates hours behind real time (presuming that you can get online to it), so any service offering real time info would be an improvement. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

Mr Rip Curl writes...

It would have to be a darn sight more accurate than the current 131500 service

I don't think it's about timetables etc, more for commuters to use the web while sitting in the gridlocked traffic.

I think they'd better make it reliable or it will just add to the commuter rage already bubbling under the surface. Imagine the bus is half an hour late AND the wifi is on the fritz.

Yes I agree 131500 is hopeless though that is off topic here (dealing with personal experiences from years ago living at Gosford).

No, it is for the bus commuters to be able to use the net. Initial rollout might be special buses to take people on conventions etc. That is still being negotiated by our sales people as to what they want to do. But I can say Hillsbus were very happy with the trial. And yes, coverage worked extremely well. No reports I have seen of bad coverage or dropouts on the journey from NW Sydney to the CBD even through the Lane Cove Tunnel.

9301 is the only one left, just have to organise a time in the depot to remove it.

Will keep people posted as to what is happening, given that I can't say in confidence information here if it happens. And can only release info once it becomes official (I am just the wireless engineer so I am sure you can understand that).

richary writes...

is for the bus commuters to be able to use the net.

That presumes they have enuf room to operate their laptop in their lap. Half the HillsBus coaches that I pass on the M2 during peak hour are jam-packed with breathing room only. I can see it working on buses used for conventions etc where they only have sitting passengers.