Wireless hotspots are hot
For better or for worse, my job takes me on the road a LOT. Accordingly, I have to adopt strong survival skills to maintain connectivity and remain productive while juggling airline and hotel connections in unfamiliar territory. What used to be an awkward game of slow dial-up connectivity has morphed into a relatively easy routine of wireless connectivity. In a tribute to the coming of age of Humboldt County, local wireless connectivity is improving by the day.
FLAVORS
Wireless connectivity comes in several flavors. There are fee-based versus free, and encrypted versus non-encrypted connections. Obviously, it is better not to have to pay for Internet connectivity whether or not it is wireless, and encryption is more secure but sometimes more difficult to access if you need key codes and passwords to make a connection. On the fee-based side, I will pay for wireless connectivity on the road if the fee is not exorbitant, even if my often-government client won't reimburse me for it. I figure they won't reimburse me for my bar tab either even though I consider it a necessity, but I will settle for dial up before I pay a ridiculous fee for a wireless or wired connection. Some airports and hotels will use standard commercial carriers such as T-Mobile, while others are smart and attract customers by offering free wireless hotspot connectivity.
WIRELESS IN HUMBOLDT
A new local website called Humboldt Hotspots offers listings of local wireless hotspots, and they need our help to populate the various connections in town to make the site productive. We have Doug Renwick from HostGIS to thank for this important local listing. Please note that they only accept free and unencrypted sites for the list, but it is an important first step in collecting the data and making it available to locals and visitors. I also should mention Bob Morse's TALKING TECH blog in which he laments the lack of local conference facilities with ANY Internet connectivity. This should be our ongoing effort to shame the local government, tourism and business reps to get on the bandwagon.
I can't adequately describe to you the joy of answering a Hong Kong business email from a coffee shop in Colorado Springs, knowing that I composed my reply during HK business hours. This has become a vitally important link in our local business competitiveness.
Please don't tell me I am more connected in Trinidad/Tobago than I am in Trinidad Humboldt County. Please don't tell me that the railroad is my only connection out of town for a business delivery to Montenegro in the former Yugoslavia.
Let's agitate for real economic development and accomplish what is easily achievable and imminently rewarding to create jobs in our local economy. Email me with your comments, wherever you may be and whatever connection you might have.
Chris Crawford
www.justiceserved.com
Comments
You write:"I also should mention Bob Morse's TALKING TECH blog in which he laments the lack of local conference facilities with ANY Internet connectivity. This should be our ongoing effort to shame the local government, tourism and business reps to get on the bandwagon.".
While I appreciate the fact that it's a good idea for a conference facility to provide some sort of internet connection, I don't see that it's the kind of problem requiring government intervention.
To quote you in your first paragraph: "In a tribute to the coming of age of Humboldt County, local wireless connectivity is improving by the day.".
Indeed it is and eventually conference facilities will realize it might well be for their benefit to offer some sort of internet connection.
The free- market, and potential customers voting with their feet, should be more than enough to prompt action on the issue.
Posted by: Fred Mangels | May 7, 2006 03:06 PM
I look wireless the same way I look at cellphones. When I'm not at my desk, I don't want to deal with emails and text messages anymore than I want to talk on a phone. If being connected all the time floats your boat, go for it.
Yeah, I'm getting old...
Posted by: Robb Willis | May 8, 2006 01:00 AM
Fred's right that good business practice will lead industry to roll out wireless networks. Look at even a lot of the local hotels offering free high speed Internet connectivity.
However, it is just plain dumb for the Wharfinger, Adorni and Redwood Acres to have nothing. If government is ever to recoup its investment in building these facilities, they have to invest in the kinds of features that encourage rentals.
And Robb is right about wireless hotspots promoting the compulsive need to stay plugged in. I turned off the audio alert that used to beep every time a new email arrived for just this reason.
But just like I carry around trade magazines in my car to get productive reading in while I'm waiting around somewhere, it would be nice to knock off a few emails while I'm waiting for an oil change.
Posted by: Chris Crawford | May 8, 2006 04:54 AM