On the way to work, I listen to podcasts on my trusty 3G 20GB iPod. One of the more interesting ones I’ve subscribed to is the Gilmore Gang.
I’ve had to catch up on some of my Gillmore Gang listening, and unfortunately I missed the September 2, 2005 podcast titled “Municipal Gang.” This weeks gang consisted of Chris Nolan of Politics from Left to Right and eWeek.com and the usuals folks: Dan Farber, Dana Gardner, Doc Searls, and Mike Vizard.
The topic discussed was, as you probably have guessed by now, municipal wifi. If you don’t know by now, it’s a topic that Public Knowledge is very interested in—see our “Spread Wifi” page.
The discussion was pre-telecommunications draft, but the gang came to the issue from a fresh start. They really seem to understand the problems with the “free market,” calling it a market made up of two incumbent monopolies. They also understand how broadband over Wifi can level the market—by providing consumers and businesses another way to generate new content, communicate, and do business.
They asked a number of good questions, perhaps most importantly, how do we make things happen politically. They were more concerned about Presidential platforms (which is still a ways out), but I bet if this podcast discussion was had after the telecom draft, it would have focussed on how to sway legislators to do the “right thing.”
So how do we get this ball moving in the “right direction?” I think as a reader of this blog, your best bet is to start at the local level. We need to be telling people about the benefits of Wifi. Spread that information to your friends, blog it, maybe even write an op-ed in your local newspaper. Get your Mayor or city council interested in it— by explaining muni-wifi’s benefits and low costs.
Maybe municipally funded Wifi isn’t the answer for your town, but having the debate is important.
- You can find out more about the Gilmore Gang here.
- Get involved in the Muni-wifi movement here
- Learn a lot more about what’s going on right now in Muni-Wifi at Muniwireless.com