As any connected adult will tell you, the availability of Wifi can make wait time much less annoying and more productive.

Kids will be kids. If you pack them into a yellow box, 100 or so at at time, it’s a given that they will get rowdy out of boredom. It’s been that way since the day these transport vehicles began rolling. While they can get unruly, kids are also inquisitive. Give them Wifi on the ride and they may even add a little study time to their online gaming a socializing.

….as bus No. 92 rolls down a mountain highway just before dawn, high school students are quiet, typing on laptops.

Morning routines have been like this since the fall, when school officials mounted a mobile Internet router to bus No. 92’s sheet-metal frame, enabling students to surf the Web. The students call it the Internet Bus, and what began as a high-tech experiment has had an old-fashioned — and unexpected — result. Wi-Fi access has transformed what was often a boisterous bus ride into a rolling study hall, and behavioral problems have virtually disappeared.

“It’s made a big difference,” said J. J. Johnson, the bus’s driver. “Boys aren’t hitting each other, girls are busy, and there’s not so much jumping around.” (New York Times)

With the billions our government has poured down the rat hole for silly ideas to improve education, how about doing something that make sense instead? Something like putting Wifi in buses. At $200 per, it makes sense and will probably even pay its own way in less time spent trying to keep the kids in line.

For those of the geeky variety, and not so, starting today McDonalds open up its WiFi to all comers. Free. With some catches.

Access is free. So general surfing will be available. According to McD’s web page (here) certain services and particular access needs may still require paying for the privilege. But I am fine with that. It is a step in the right direction.

McD’s being altruistic? Not totally. Their heart is in the right place, but their core reason is profit of course. You see McD’s has been in a battle Royale with StarBucks in the morning fast food segment going on 5 years now. Both players have toyed with the idea of going free on WiFi. Fact in some segments I believe StarBucks has already done so. Why do it? Draw customers in. Once they have you inside you might just buy a cup of coffee at a minimum or pop for a whole meal in the best of cases. Least thats the thinking.

This won’t go unnoticed of course. Figure StarBucks to counter across the board very quickly.

The real question becomes does WiFi stay viable for very long? In a strong parallel, WiFi hotspots are the 21st Century equivalent of the pay phone. Useful sure. But you are ‘parked’ till you finish your communications. Yet the growth of smartphones are anathema to that model as the CPE are tied to metrowide cellular/3g/4g services unrelated to specific locale. So WiFi services that McD’s is providing will fade just like the wall payphone at the local tavern did.

Apple and AT&T have an agreement in principle that neither party would partake of supporting anything that injuries the other party in any material fashion. AT&T is concerned about users foregoing the voice components on iPhone and using the data component via VoIP. Google then shows up with an application for the iStore to do exactly what AT&T does not want. Is it rejected? Welllll, not exactly, but then you can’t download it either –

AT&T and Apple told the FCC that they did have an agreement that Apple would not help iPhone owners use VOIP calling services like Skype on the iPhone. VOIP calls use the data, rather than the voice plan, and would cut into the companies profits. Thus, Apple and AT&T agreed to cripple the Skype iPhone app so that it would only work when the iPhone used a WiFi connection.

The companies say they also agree not to let apps that stream live television, which AT&T says would strain its network.

As for Google and its app store?

Its FCC filing emphasizes that Android phone users can get apps from outside the store — unlike iPhone users. (Users can “jailbreak” their iPhones to do so, but this invalidates the warranty.)

It says only one percent of apps in its online marketplace have been rejected, mostly due to copyright or obscenity reasons.

Google did not, however, mention that it too crippled mobile apps at the request of a telecom.

T-Mobile asked Google to remove apps that let customers use their phone as a modem for a laptop, a practice known as tethering, and Google complied. T-Mobile, like all of the U.S.’s largest carriers, charges customers extra for that service. Google later re-allowed the app, but not for T-Mobile customers.

Is Google the unvarnished victim in this? The maiden for her prince to open the gates? Well not exactly either. Google is doing the same thing for T-Mobile on Android platforms. Google you can pucker up, but wash your shoes first, they reek of BS.

All this jockeying and “where’s the pea” is going for naught too. Wimax is continuing to rollout. The following cities are targeted this year — Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Fort Worth, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Portland, Seattle. Wimax is already in Atlanta, NYC, Los Angeles and the outskirt of WashDC. So many of the mass market areas are in coverage. The upshot is the Wimax providers are not freaking out that VoIP will traverse their network. Fact some providers are offering bundles that include VoIP. So the cat’s already out of the bag. Fact some are considering using a “netbook-as-phone”.

By the way Who if on first and What is on second and Google is in the outfield. Google still has not understood how damaging their lack of 700mhz ownership means to them over the long haul.

Linky.

First, let me say that there are individuals who really do believe that their biology is effected by Wifi signals. I’ve worked along side more than one of them. Their suffering is real, but the bulk of physical evidence shows that they have a phobia rather than an allergy. If any well meaning reporter  really wanted to ease the suffering of these individuals, they’d help them get appropriate treatment rather than fan the flames of hysteria.

It seems that the old media has an allergy when it comes to fact checking stories about Wifi phobia as well:

….reporters just seem to love the story about people being allergic to WiFi. The latest is in the Daily Mail over in the UK, which has an entire article all about a guy who lives in “agony” because of all the WiFi around. Not once does the reporter look into the evidence of the “allergy” but does claim that 2% of the population suffer from this. The guy travels around with a WiFi detector to protect him… but it’s not protecting him from whatever is causing his problems (as the study found). You would think that a reporter would actually check the facts on such things, right?  (Tech Dirt)

I beleive that the old media has internet phobia. They think that thier slow decline is because Wifi enables bloggers to write in their pajamas in the basement without connecting a wire. Therefore, it must be unhealthy. Most of these old media folks also believe they have  superior wisdom that lets them selectively fact check with impunity. That could have more to do with loss of audience than any blogger in the basement. Most of us are not as stupid as manstream journalists think we are.

In a world swimming in wireless transmissions, how does one operate without it? Cell phone, WiFi, 900mhz phone, the list is endless. So is the FCC, hence the government’s right, to abrogate the 4th Amendment –

That’s the upshot of the rules the agency has followed for years to monitor licensed television and radio stations, and to crack down on pirate radio broadcasters. And the commission maintains the same policy applies to any licensed or unlicensed radio-frequency device.

“Anything using RF energy — we have the right to inspect it to make sure it is not causing interference,” says FCC spokesman David Fiske. That includes devices like Wi-Fi routers that use unlicensed spectrum, Fiske says.

The FCC claims it derives its warrantless search power from the Communications Act of 1934, though the constitutionality of the claim has gone untested in the courts. That’s largely because the FCC had little to do with average citizens for most of the last 75 years, when home transmitters were largely reserved to ham-radio operators and CB-radio aficionados. But in 2009, nearly every household in the United States has multiple devices that use radio waves and fall under the FCC’s purview, making the commission’s claimed authority ripe for a court challenge.

“It is a major stretch beyond case law to assert that authority with respect to a private home, which is at the heart of the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable search and seizure,” says Electronic Frontier Foundation lawyer Lee Tien. “When it is a private home and when you are talking about an over-powered Wi-Fi antenna — the idea they could just go in is honestly quite bizarre.”

Alarmist? Well maybe. When you consider that the average consumer grade transmitter is running way less than a watt of RF output power, I don’t think you will be breaking the law nor the FCC being after you. The rule that the article points to was in place to go after large wattage stations and CB radios being upjacked to a 1000w linear amp.

But it is a tad troubling on the face. If a FCC guy came to the house asking. I probably would say come on in. I don’t have anything that does high watt RF transmission. But if they started acting like stormtroopers a call to my lawyer would be made long before they left.

Linky.

A whole patch of 2.5Ghz licenses are coming up for bid. This is the WiMax band. Same place that folks like Clearwire are playing in. Looking at a list of the service areas most are the rural or outskirt suburban areas. The juiciest one appears to be the Miami service area. –

So now we roll into the PN for the 2.5 GHz band auction. With Kevin Martin gone, it’s unclear whether anonymous bidding will survive. While some folks in the Wireless Bureau love it and think it is an important rule for making auctions more efficient, I know from experience that other folks in the Wireless Bureau hate it. With the 8th floor operating with only 3 Commissioners, one of whom is waiting to move on, and everyone focused on the upcoming DTV Transition June 12, this item is unlikely to attract a lot of attention. Even if the final decision happens after Genechowski and newly nominated 3rd Democrat Mingon Clyburne come on board, along with whatever Republican they finally settle on, the majority of Commissioners will be coming to a very complex issue cold.

Mr. Feld may have a minor expectation that there might be some changes in the bidding process. It could happen. But like most bureaucracies, change comes slowly especially when there are new entrants in the commissioners chairs. Unless they are given an external shove from Congress I would expect it to go down pretty much like 700mhz auction did.

The one outliers is pricing. With 700mhz still in what looks like deployment limbo for a lot of markets the WiMax WISPs might bid more than expected. I suspect they see an opening with a short window and may be willing to pay a little extra before competition drives down pricing.

Read Mr. Feld’s article here.

Beeb is trialing a TV service over Wifi for various smartphones. The theming is similar to that found for its ‘on wire’ service. The number of channels offered is however reduced —

Although still in beta, the Live TV service is designed to let you watch a selection of TV channels, including One, Two and BBC News, live over a Wi-Fi connection. It also supports several radio stations, including Radio 1, 2 and 4.

There’s no need to install any applications prior to watching to any of the channels, just “click and go”, the BBC said.

Currently the service only works over a Wi-Fi connection and broadcasts a 176 x 144 image, but the broadcaster hopes to extend Live TV out to 3G networks and to add more channels during the coming months.

Live TV is thought to work with a selection of smartphones, including the Android G1 and Nokia N Series devices. Register Hardware tried to access Live TV using an iPhone, the service wouldn’t work.

An interesting idea. Though you know if I were a dept head leading a bunch of 20-somethings I might want to have the CIO hand me a wireless traffic report every quarter. Why have someone on staff that is watching the latest on the BBC during work hours?

Linky.

Southwest is the airline I love to hate. They’ve got great walk up fares, cramped seats, and several stops on all but short haul flights. If you need to go somewhere today for a reasonable price, it’s hard to beat them. Now, at least during the testing period, WiFI access where available is free.

The Dallas-based airline said a satellite-based system has been installed on one aircraft and will be turned on Monday. Three more planes will be equipped with the service by early March.

Operated by Westlake Village, Calif.-based technology firm Row 44, the new Wi-Fi system will be tested for “the next few months,” the company said.

“Internet connectivity has been high on our list of priorities for quite some time,” says Dave Ridley, senior vice president of marketing for Southwest Airlines, in a statement.

The Internet service, which is available to passengers with their own Wi-Fi enabled laptops or smartphones, will be free during the test period. Southwest didn’t specify what the charge will be once the test period ends. (USA Today)

We have covered the woes of StarBucks last year. Well friends you will probably have to find another hot spot again soon. ‘Bucks is closing another 200 stores here in the US. From an internal ‘Bucks memo –

We must also close approximately 300 additional underperforming stores in FY09, about 200 in the U.S. and the remainder in international markets. Of our 167,000 retail partner workforce, we estimate we will reduce approximately 6,000 store positions over the course of the next eight months. As before, we hope to be able to place affected store partners elsewhere in the store organization.

Partners who are displaced will be offered severance packages based on job level and/or years of service.

These decisions have been made to ensure the company is leaner and prepared to endure a worsening economic climate. I can assure you the management team is aware of the impact of these steps on the organization — both those who will depart and those who stay. For those of you who will be departing the organization, I thank you for your contributions to Starbucks and wish you and your families the best during this difficult time.

In the last few weeks we have seen countless companies announce layoffs and some bankruptcies. I point this out to try and put in context that the financial crisis is affecting almost every company around the world. The decisions we make are about preserving the future of Starbucks. And I can promise you that I and the leadership team will do all that we can to put us in a position to emerge strong on the other side of this crisis, and stay true to our values and culture.

Want to know a choice one? ‘Bucks took delivery of a new (like in only 12 landings so far) corporate jet. They are now trying to sell it. Worse they have not been able to unload the old one either. Doesn’t that just roast ya?

Linky.

BART, the rapid transit system in the San Fran bay area will have a fully deployed WiFi system by 2011. This according to Wi-Fi Rail that just signed a 20 year contract with the system –

BART, the San Francisco Bay Area’s commuter railway, plans to offer Wi-Fi access on all trains and at all stations by 2011, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday.

The 20-year deal, signed Friday with start-up Wi-Fi Rail, is set to bring high-speed wireless access to BART’s 104 miles of track and 43 stations. The network is based on a “huge fiber-optic backbone,” according to Wi-Fi Rail.

BART, short for Bay Area Rapid Transit, has been testing the service for about a year in underground sections in San Francisco and on about two miles of open track in Hayward. More than 16,000 people signed up for the pilot service, which has been free, the Chronicle said. Wi-Fi Rail plans to charge $30 per month once the service is fully installed. Other subscription plans, based on hourly, daily, or annual use, will also be available.

I have only two questions. A) I hope that the State is making a little money on this as they are already $41Bn in the hole. B) Who lives on these trains that it would make sense at $30/month? Unless you have to have a hour commute by rail this is pretty pricing WiFi.

Linky.