Wirelessless city
I’ve just come back from Seattle, where most of the city is Wi-Fi enabled. While some residences are on secured networks, most cafés and libraries are open and free.
Why can’t Boston do the same?
It’s astounding that a city boasting world-class universities and high-tech business is lagging so far behind. There is an initiative to bring free public WiFi to Boston, first announced in February, but when will it happen? Wil it be enough? Dishearteningly, some of the institutions that do provide WiFi block many non-web and non-mail ports. This is true of the Brookline library, and, reportedly, of the BPL.
Here’s one list of WiFi hot spots and here’s another for the Newbury Street area.
C’mon, business owners, it makes good sense to provide free unrestricte WiFi: people will linger more, create more community by being out of their homes and offices, and shop more as they surf.