Free wifi networks
In San Francisco, a city wide free internet initiative proposed by Google and Earthlink was met with fanfare last year and then notoriously dumped by a dysfunctional Board of Supervisors who made extra demands on the wifi providers that toppled the deal. A private company, Meraki started a "Free the Net!" campaign that uses wifi repeaters to spread the wifi signal free. Consumer participants need to capture the "Free the Net" signal before they can qualify for a Meraki repeater to boost the signal further onward across San Francisco (unfortunately the signal hasn't reached my neighborhood yet or I would qualify for a free repeater).
Meraki started its network in the center of San Francisco and its currently in build out towards the edges.
Yesterday, Meraki announced a $20 million VC funding to provide free wireless internet access for the city of San Francisco. After proving the repeater proliferation model in San Francisco, the company will expand nationally.
There are many homegrown wireless community network initiatives to supply free democratic wifi. Terry Smith in Plano, TX tipped me to DFWFreeNet in Dallas and I discovered a list of wireless community networks across the globe compiled by Wikipedia.
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