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Different views on Wi-Fi sharing
From: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2002 10:36:04 -0500
------ Forwarded Message From: Steve Crowley <scrowley () attglobal net> Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2002 10:16:16 -0500 To: "Dave@Farber. Net" <dave () farber net> Subject: Different views on Wi-Fi sharing Dave,
From the November 2002 issue of Communications Engineering & Design . . .
http://www.cedmagazine.com/ced/2002/1102/id1.htm An excerpt . . . Although AT&T Broadbandwhen it has reason to check for a potential subscription violationoccasionally employs Wi-Fi sniffing software sophisticated enough to see a PCs configuration, applications running in the background and how many e-mails are being downloaded, the company does not, for obvious privacy reasons, peer into the unencrypted files that are being dispersed via a Wi-Fi network. We only look at bits and bytes, not the specific data, says Eder, who likens the practice to jiggling doorknobs to see if theyre locked. While MSOs such as Time Warner Cable and AT&T Broadband have occasionally cracked down on unauthorized sharing, other broadband ISPs havent discouraged the practice at all. High-speed ISP and DSL wholesaler Covad Communications doesnt have a specific policy that addresses Wi-Fi, and actually permits its subscribers to share connections with non-paying customers. Instead of viewing this practice as a potential revenue sapper, Covad believes that sharing the connection might bring in new broadband customers, notes Hunter Middleton, Covads group manager for consumer product marketing. Generally, we think anything that gets people to move from an old, slow, glitchy dial-up connection to broadband is a good thing, he says. ------- Steven J. Crowley, P.E. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Suite 300 Washington, D.C. 20004 Tel. +1-202-544-5400 Fax +1-202-478-1763 E-mail scrowley () attglobal net ------ End of Forwarded Message ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com To unsubscribe or update your address, click http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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- Different views on Wi-Fi sharing Dave Farber (Nov 10)