Colin B. asks about my
thoughts on increasing internet access for low-income families. I feel it’s imperative for a burgeoning hi-tech U.S. economy.
Well, I agree, Colin. Thanks for the question! The conventional answer involves expanding access to computers (c.f. the One Laptop per Child project, which is doing wonderful work that springs from the understanding that a global technology gap is an engine for tremendous social injustice and economic inefficiency) while expanding the availability of large-scale free wireless networks (c.f. San Francisco’s progress on this issue).
An additional piece of the puzzle involves creating computers and other electronic devices that contain “wireless repeaters”, in effect building a wireless network in which every computer (or telephone, traffic light, etc.) serves as a mini-cell tower, thus strengthening the system. This approach is called “mesh networking” and it appears to be the best hope to implement truly broadly available free internet access.
Tags: broadband, digital divide, internet access, mesh networking
