http://www.geeksugar.com en Copyright 1976-2012 Sugar Inc. All rights reserved. http://media2.onsugar.com/v831/static/imgs/feeds/logos/geeksugar.jpg http://www.geeksugar.com http://www.geeksugar.com/Earthlink-Pulls-Free-Citywide-WiFi-From-Philadelphia-1629535 <a href="http://www.geeksugar.com/Earthlink-Pulls-Free-Citywide-WiFi-From-Philadelphia-1629535"><img width=146 height=160 src='http://media3.onsugar.com/files/upl1/1/15111/20_2008/200297894-001_0.large.jpg' /></a><p>As the news rolls in that <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Wireless-Philadelphia.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Earthlink is pulling its citywide WiFi</a> coverage from Philadelphia, any geeky San Franciscan is probably thinking about how close we came to having public WiFi blanket cover our fair city too (please say it's not over till it's over, <a href="http://www.geeksugar.com/tag/gavin+newsom" rel="nofollow">Gav</a>).</p> <p><span class="inline left"></span>Bittersweetness aside, I've thought of how it would realistically affect me - and I'm pretty sure that it would be absolutely amazing in terms of taking my laptop anywhere to work and play - any coffee shop, getting a pedi, any park. But here's the rub: No way would I stop paying for DSL at home. </p> <p>San Francisco's offer from Google would have meant <a href="http://www.examiner.com/a-521706~Some_residents_need_hardware_for_free_Wi_Fi.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">a connection speed of 300k</a>, and when my DSL is five times faster than that, I just can't swap. Which is a shame, because I would love for free public WiFi to mean a bill I could get rid of. But what about you? If your city got free public WiFi, would you get rid of yours at home?</p> <p><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/Home.aspx" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Source</a></p> <!-- no strip poll --><form action="/Earthlink-Pulls-Free-Citywide-WiFi-From-Philadelphia-1629535" method="post" id="epoll_view_voting"> <div><div class="poll"> <div class="vote-form"> <div class="choices"><div class="form-item"> <label>If Your City Got Free WiFi, Would You Stop Getting Your Own?</label> <div class="form-item"> <label for="id-0-1629535" class="option"><input type="radio" id="id-0-1629535" name="edit[choice]" value="0-1629535" class="form-radio" /> Yep! If my city got free citywide WiFi, I'd use it at home and lose my current service.</label> </div> <div class="form-item"> <label for="id-1-1629535" class="option"><input type="radio" id="id-1-1629535" name="edit[choice]" value="1-1629535" class="form-radio" /> No way - I need speedy Internet at home!</label> </div> <div class="form-item"> <label for="id-2-1629535" class="option"><input type="radio" id="id-2-1629535" name="edit[choice]" value="2-1629535" class="form-radio" /> I might - but I'd have to see if it is truly too slow for me.</label> </div> <div class="form-item"> <label for="id-3-1629535" class="option"><input type="radio" id="id-3-1629535" name="edit[choice]" value="3-1629535" class="form-radio" /> Something else. See my comment below.</label> </div> </div> </div><input type="hidden" name="edit[nid]" id="edit-nid" value="1629535" /> <span class='button'><span class='button_copy'><input class='fancybutton' type='submit' name="op" value="Vote" class="form-submit" /></span></span> </div><input type="hidden" name="edit[form_id]" id="edit-form_id" value="epoll_view_voting" /> </div> </div></form> <!-- no strip poll --> http://www.geeksugar.com/Earthlink-Pulls-Free-Citywide-WiFi-From-Philadelphia-1629535#comment News Poll free WiFi earthlink Thu, 15 May 2008 08:03:47 PDT GeekSugar http://www.geeksugar.com/Earthlink-Pulls-Free-Citywide-WiFi-From-Philadelphia-1629535