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The Debate Over Neighborhood Zoning Could Hold Up Fast 5G Wireless for Years

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Re: The Debate Over Neighborhood Zoning Could Hold Up Fast 5G Wireless for Years

#31
post #18

I wonder at what point we'll start seeing people simply stop paying for in-home internet via WiFi in favor of relying solely on their mobile data package, in the same way that people stopped paying for corded phone lines and are starting to stop paying for cable television. For some reason I'm frightened at the prospect... is it because I trust my ISP more than my wireless carrier?

I've been doing this for the last 5 years. These days, we average about a 1 TB / month on 4G LTE. Somehow, we've avoided carrier throttling. Although we live in a rural area, so there is little congestion anyway. A single hotspot is sufficient for all our home internet devices. If you're going to do this, it's important to have a (preferably grandfathered) unlimited data plan.

Re: The Debate Over Neighborhood Zoning Could Hold Up Fast 5G Wireless for Years

#32
post #18

I wonder at what point we'll start seeing people simply stop paying for in-home internet via WiFi in favor of relying solely on their mobile data package, in the same way that people stopped paying for corded phone lines and are starting to stop paying for cable television. For some reason I'm frightened at the prospect... is it because I trust my ISP more than my wireless carrier?

I live on the east coast, and I already cut th e cord like that. I have no ISP anymore.

It started as an experiment. I still have several mobile devices, each with own unlimited plan, through different operators. AT&T is providing access to the TV doing Netflix/amazon/hulu. Sprint is providing access to my tablets, laptop and iphone. My main phone is a windows phone dual sim with AT&T for data, and Tmobile prepaid for voice service. I am comparing coverage, costs, and see what fits my needs.

My conclusion so far: I don't miss my ISP, and hardly feel a difference. I plan to cut service further. It will force me out of my home to socialize more, which is a good thing.

I think I will be keeping unlimited access only for my laptop, likely through sprint (because you get routable IpV4s with the right APN!) and Tmobile prepaid service on my windows phone for the rare occasion I need to be called even when my laptop is turned off.

Re: The Debate Over Neighborhood Zoning Could Hold Up Fast 5G Wireless for Years

#33
post #26

I'm split. 5G is great but is also being used in a political game re the definition of broadband. ISPs in my area (western canada) are using the existence of faster wireless to claim they are offering broadband to rural addresses via wireless rather than build out proper infrastructure. The stagnation of cable/DSL broadband speeds and basic availability is having serious economic impact. Areas without cable/DSL servi…

Why is this a bad thing? I don't understand why you think every rural backwater needs to be subsidized to the tune of billions by the productive regions of the world. We should be looking to returning 95%+ of land to nature as we urbanize more and more. I wish more companies and governments would do what the ISPs are doing. Why am I paying for post offices in rural America? Why am I paying to subsidize electricity tr…

Had we taken that approach a century ago most farms would never have never been electrified. It wouldn't have been worth the effort for the utilities to run the lines absent government mandates. (fyi, this has returned as a huge problem today. Utilities charge massive amounts to electrify new developments in rural areas. If it requires more than a pole or two, the cheaper option is to build your own offgrid setup. Poles cost about 15k each in my area.)

There are so many discussions here about information tech changing farms, generally making them better and more efficient. That needs bandwidth. Want retirees to visit their doc via webcam, which saves money/time for all involved? That too needs bandwidth. Bandwidth is the new electricity.

Re: The Debate Over Neighborhood Zoning Could Hold Up Fast 5G Wireless for Years

#34
My neighborhood Nextdoor is full of NIMBY on this topic. Apparently electrosensitivity afflicts some 90-95% of people who have the free time to go to city council meetings at 3pm on weekdays. Shungite pendants have been recommended to fend off the illnesses caused by radiation. Even the local school does not have wifi because some local bozo said his kids were "injured" by EM fields, not just any fields but specifically ISM wavelengths that are tuned to disrupt our precious cells.

I'd be frankly surprised if urban America ever gets 5G service while this kind of ignorance holds sway.

Re: The Debate Over Neighborhood Zoning Could Hold Up Fast 5G Wireless for Years

#35
I haven't followed 5G planning/predictions in a few years, but the last big deal I recall in this area was having the 5G included in the home broadband offerings. In other words, the current U-Verse/FiOS modem/router would also have a 5G microcell in it.

That would help with some of these issues as it relates to pole access and such.

Re: The Debate Over Neighborhood Zoning Could Hold Up Fast 5G Wireless for Years

#36
post #25
post #18

I wonder at what point we'll start seeing people simply stop paying for in-home internet via WiFi in favor of relying solely on their mobile data package, in the same way that people stopped paying for corded phone lines and are starting to stop paying for cable television. For some reason I'm frightened at the prospect... is it because I trust my ISP more than my wireless carrier?

This is not uncommon here in Turkey. I end up using my iPhone as a modem via USB tethering often. Mobile internet is much faster in Turkey (100+ mbs for cheap) than the wired network. It only adds ~10ping and can handle anything. I'm willing to bet this will be the norm worldwide when 5G rolls out. Here in Turkey we have '4.5G' which is a marketing term for the latest generation 4G infrastructure. We only got 4G last…

Really? I just returned from a 2-week vacation in Turkey (Izmir, Cesme) and I was lucky to get working internet at all roaming on Turkcell. When it did connect, the speeds were ~4 mbps (iPhone6s - Verizon). Not sure if that's just because I was roaming.

Re: The Debate Over Neighborhood Zoning Could Hold Up Fast 5G Wireless for Years

#37
post #21
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is no PM functionality on Hacker News, and I don't see contact information in your profile.

Based on comment history I assume info@docketdaily.com gets to him.

That domain is expired: http://whois.domaintools.com/docketdaily.com

Re: The Debate Over Neighborhood Zoning Could Hold Up Fast 5G Wireless for Years

#39
post #18

I wonder at what point we'll start seeing people simply stop paying for in-home internet via WiFi in favor of relying solely on their mobile data package, in the same way that people stopped paying for corded phone lines and are starting to stop paying for cable television. For some reason I'm frightened at the prospect... is it because I trust my ISP more than my wireless carrier?

> I wonder at what point we'll start seeing people simply stop paying for in-home internet via WiFi in favor of relying solely on their mobile data package, in the same way that people stopped paying for corded phone lines and are starting to stop paying for cable television.

I'm surprised there hasn't been more movement in the other direction. There are very inexpensive WiFi-first phone plans ($20/month + data), which in combination with the fact that WiFi exists in the places where many people spend 95+% of their time means that the plan ends up just being the $20/month, because you so rarely actually have to use any cellular data.

Re: The Debate Over Neighborhood Zoning Could Hold Up Fast 5G Wireless for Years

#40

My neighborhood Nextdoor is full of NIMBY on this topic. Apparently electrosensitivity afflicts some 90-95% of people who have the free time to go to city council meetings at 3pm on weekdays. Shungite pendants have been recommended to fend off the illnesses caused by radiation. Even the local school does not have wifi because some local bozo said his kids were "injured" by EM fields, not just any fields but specifica…

I hate these idiots. I got into an argument with one who was concerned with the RF from their smart electric meter. I tried to explain the difference between ionizing radiation and non-ionizing, DNA 'damage', and such. No such luck getting through to them even when presented with scientific fact. I usually tell them they should be more concerned with sun exposure than anything, if they are worried about DNA damage.

It's like they want a handy excuse for feeling like crap. Superstitious magical thinking. 300 years ago they'd be blaming a witch for their problems. I always think of the character Chuck from Better Call Saul whenever I run into someone like this.

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