Comments on: Free the public plumbing http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/ Same old blog, brand new place Thu, 16 Oct 2008 04:55:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Don Marti http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-4301 Don Marti Thu, 01 Nov 2007 22:37:57 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-4301 Another approach to this problem: <a href="http://www.linuxworld.com/community/?q=node/1657" rel="nofollow">make net access free, but limit the number of IP addresses in use</a>. Another approach to this problem: make net access free, but limit the number of IP addresses in use.

]]> By: Jeff O'Hara http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-3700 Jeff O'Hara Mon, 22 Oct 2007 22:33:29 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-3700 Starbucks and apple did announce free wifi to iPhone users starting january 2008. Maybe this is a first step for them. Starbucks and apple did announce free wifi to iPhone users starting january 2008. Maybe this is a first step for them.

]]> By: Doc Searls http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-3179 Doc Searls Sun, 14 Oct 2007 10:52:53 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-3179 I agree, Don, about the need to balance services to optimize the movement of customers through the premises. In Lexington, Mass, near where I live, there are a Starbucks and a Peets only a few doors away from each other. Both do a steady business. But getting a seat in Starbucks is hard because they're already occupied, most of the time, by people who won't be moving soon. Peets, in addition to offering much better coffee service, doesn't offer wi-fi. And you can usually find a place to sit. I agree, Don, about the need to balance services to optimize the movement of customers through the premises.

In Lexington, Mass, near where I live, there are a Starbucks and a Peets only a few doors away from each other. Both do a steady business. But getting a seat in Starbucks is hard because they’re already occupied, most of the time, by people who won’t be moving soon. Peets, in addition to offering much better coffee service, doesn’t offer wi-fi. And you can usually find a place to sit.

]]> By: Doc Searls http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-3178 Doc Searls Sun, 14 Oct 2007 10:48:49 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-3178 Good point, Francine. Still, I'd expect the relationship with T-Mobile will make that transition problematic. T-Mobile is fundamentally a phone company, meaning that the look at the world through their billing system, and possess what a CXO at one telco I know calls a "minutes mentality". It's hard to imagine any phone company giving away anything they already bill for. I suppose it comes down to who owns the infrastructure and what kind of deals can be made. Whether or not Starbucks owns it (and I suspect they don't), they could work a new deal where T-Mobile gets the same money but for operating a free service. If T-Mobile doesn't want that deal, and Starbucks insists on making wi-fi free, they may have to buy the infrastructure from T-Mobile and run it themselves or contract maintenance to some other party. Good point, Francine. Still, I’d expect the relationship with T-Mobile will make that transition problematic. T-Mobile is fundamentally a phone company, meaning that the look at the world through their billing system, and possess what a CXO at one telco I know calls a “minutes mentality”. It’s hard to imagine any phone company giving away anything they already bill for. I suppose it comes down to who owns the infrastructure and what kind of deals can be made. Whether or not Starbucks owns it (and I suspect they don’t), they could work a new deal where T-Mobile gets the same money but for operating a free service. If T-Mobile doesn’t want that deal, and Starbucks insists on making wi-fi free, they may have to buy the infrastructure from T-Mobile and run it themselves or contract maintenance to some other party.

]]> By: Geekularity » Magnolia Bookmarks http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-3170 Geekularity » Magnolia Bookmarks Sun, 14 Oct 2007 07:02:04 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-3170 [...] Doc Searls Weblog · Free the public plumbing [...] [...] Doc Searls Weblog · Free the public plumbing [...]

]]> By: Enfranchised Mind » links for 2007-10-14 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-3159 Enfranchised Mind » links for 2007-10-14 Sun, 14 Oct 2007 00:38:06 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-3159 [...] Doc Searls Weblog · Free the public plumbing Doc Searls on his cynicism about Starbuck’s hypothetical free wifi. He ends up arguing in favor of coworking (whether he knows it or not). (tags: coworking) [...] [...] Doc Searls Weblog · Free the public plumbing Doc Searls on his cynicism about Starbuck’s hypothetical free wifi. He ends up arguing in favor of coworking (whether he knows it or not). (tags: coworking) [...]

]]> By: Don Marti http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-3158 Don Marti Sat, 13 Oct 2007 23:27:02 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-3158 Ideally, to bring people in the door, a coffee place needs to be busy but not too busy. Paying customers who walk in need to be able to get a table. Charging for wireless is one way to tweak fullness, and Dana St. Roasting Co. in Mountain View has another: free wifi but no customer access to AC power. Another option is to give out access codes to paying customers. Ideally, to bring people in the door, a coffee place needs to be busy but not too busy. Paying customers who walk in need to be able to get a table. Charging for wireless is one way to tweak fullness, and Dana St. Roasting Co. in Mountain View has another: free wifi but no customer access to AC power.

Another option is to give out access codes to paying customers.

]]> By: francine hardaway http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-3157 francine hardaway Sat, 13 Oct 2007 23:22:59 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-3157 I think Computerworld might be right, because of the alliance between Starbucks and ITunes. You are going to be able to download what you hear in Starbucks to your iTunes account. Free wi-fi is almost necessary for that. Besides, Starbucks defines itself as "the third place." They never encourage you to leave. I think Computerworld might be right, because of the alliance between Starbucks and ITunes. You are going to be able to download what you hear in Starbucks to your iTunes account. Free wi-fi is almost necessary for that. Besides, Starbucks defines itself as “the third place.” They never encourage you to leave.

]]> By: Christian Burns http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-3143 Christian Burns Sat, 13 Oct 2007 14:02:58 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2007/10/13/free-the-public-plumbing/#comment-3143 Just think of all those kids showing up with their iPods hogging the wifi and comfy chairs to play on MySpace. Just think of all those kids showing up with their iPods hogging the wifi and comfy chairs to play on MySpace.

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