The birth of the public hotspot
Power to the people with mesh networks
Beaming internet down from the heavens
The hidden costs of free connection
YOUR GOAL
Master of Catching the free wave of global internet
007skaty Birth of the Public Hotspot
No-cost connection, wireless direction, hotspot is born.
007skaty Replacing a paid-partner model in US stores forced other fast-food and retail chains globally to offer free internet
007skaty A dark neon infographic displays a futuristic library emitting glowing holographic internet signals.
007skaty Position hotspots on the neighborhood map to discover how to access free public internet.
Wi-Fi name: The term 'Wi-Fi' does not stand for 'Wireless Fidelity' as many believe; it was simply a catchy marketing name created by a branding firm.
A physical location where people can access the internet, typically using Wi-Fi, via a wireless local area network. In 1999, Victor Bahl deployed the first public Wi-Fi hotspot at a Bellevue shopping center.
What percentage of public libraries in the United States provide free high-speed Wi-Fi to their visitors?
In which year did the coffee chain Starbucks eliminate its internet fees to offer completely free Wi-Fi?
How does the National Library Network in Colombia provide free internet access to remote rural areas?
Which Spanish city was recognized in 2004 as the first in the world to implement a city-wide wireless network?
Which Michigan city became the first in the United States to implement a city-wide Wi-Fi network in August 2004?
What outdated urban infrastructure did New York City's LinkNYC program replace to provide free public Wi-Fi kiosks?