Time-Warner Cable is sending nastygrams to subscribers that have been snitched out for running open wireless access. The letter says that sharing your connection — no matter what the circumstances — is forbidden (I guess I won't plug in the next time I visit a neighbor's house, huh?), and throws a bunch of scare-tactic language about the possibility of an open WLAN being used to commit a crime, leaving you on the hook. Interestingly enough, the letter doesn't allege that anyone is actually using the subscriber's connection except the subscriber, just that someone might. It would be interesting to see what would happen if someone were to push on this and force Time-Warner to prove that anyone other than the owner had made use of the connection.
I hope that 802.11a mesh-networks without any connection to an ISP (other than at a major network interchange like MAE West) take off soon, and put these fools out of commission. The closer you get to MAE West, the cheaper bandwidth is, and when you're actually at a major interchange, the bandwidth isn't metered at all — your only recurring cost is rack-space and service charges.
Meanwhile, it's time for wibos to continue their exodus from clue-free ISPs that frown on making best use of your pipe and switch to wireless-friendly ISPs. In San Francisco, Earthlink DSL allows wireless sharing, as does meer.net and Speakeasy. It costs a couple grand to acquire and connect a broadband customer; ISPs that try to keep broadband customers from enjoying the use of their links are going to find themselves in a pile of Northpoint-grade financial fertilizer.
Any other wireless-friendly ISPs? Post in the Discuss link.
(via 802.11b Networking News)
