Comments on: WiFi: Free or Ad-Supported? http://www.thetechbrief.com/2008/05/12/wifi-free-or-ad-supported/ Technology news for busy people. Mon, 08 Sep 2008 07:59:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Jovan http://www.thetechbrief.com/2008/05/12/wifi-free-or-ad-supported/#comment-3441 Jovan Tue, 13 May 2008 20:19:28 +0000 http://www.thetechbrief.com/2008/05/12/wifi-free-or-ad-supported/#comment-3441 Yeah. After "AhTim's" comment, I got to thinking myself. Not too many people look at it that closely. As mentioned, everything cannot be subsidized by advertisements, however, I think once it catches on, it'll be popular. Popularity generates money. Yeah. After “AhTim’s” comment, I got to thinking myself. Not too many people look at it that closely. As mentioned, everything cannot be subsidized by advertisements, however, I think once it catches on, it’ll be popular. Popularity generates money.

]]> By: Herbert http://www.thetechbrief.com/2008/05/12/wifi-free-or-ad-supported/#comment-3435 Herbert Tue, 13 May 2008 17:03:32 +0000 http://www.thetechbrief.com/2008/05/12/wifi-free-or-ad-supported/#comment-3435 I have to admit that I thought it was a great idea, but that last comment really got me thinking. I'm sure that people would enjoy free wi-fi, and companies would enjoy such a huge audience. Sure, you can consider it a lack of quality - but the quantity in numbers (I imagine that there would be plenty of people using the free wi-fi, depending on the range) would probably end up making up for it, wouldn't it? Naturally, the idea would be to place it somewhere with a dense population. I'm no economist, so I'll take your word that product prices would increase - which makes sense because companies would spend more in advertising and have to recoup their losses somewhere (although if advertising is successful, they would end up selling more units). If prices go up, that wouldn't be too great. And honestly now, advertising models have worked quite well - especially for sites that have given it a try, such as SpiralFrog. Agreed - not everything can be subsidized by advertising - but I'm sure that we'll all be surprised by what can if we let it have a try. I think the ad-supported Wi-fi would be quite popular, too, if it goes public. I have to admit that I thought it was a great idea, but that last comment really got me thinking.

I’m sure that people would enjoy free wi-fi, and companies would enjoy such a huge audience. Sure, you can consider it a lack of quality - but the quantity in numbers (I imagine that there would be plenty of people using the free wi-fi, depending on the range) would probably end up making up for it, wouldn’t it? Naturally, the idea would be to place it somewhere with a dense population.

I’m no economist, so I’ll take your word that product prices would increase - which makes sense because companies would spend more in advertising and have to recoup their losses somewhere (although if advertising is successful, they would end up selling more units). If prices go up, that wouldn’t be too great.

And honestly now, advertising models have worked quite well - especially for sites that have given it a try, such as SpiralFrog. Agreed - not everything can be subsidized by advertising - but I’m sure that we’ll all be surprised by what can if we let it have a try.

I think the ad-supported Wi-fi would be quite popular, too, if it goes public.

]]> By: Ian Kemmish http://www.thetechbrief.com/2008/05/12/wifi-free-or-ad-supported/#comment-3430 Ian Kemmish Mon, 12 May 2008 16:23:32 +0000 http://www.thetechbrief.com/2008/05/12/wifi-free-or-ad-supported/#comment-3430 The idea that large parts of the economy can be subsidised by advertising is as ridiculous as the idea that they can be subsidised by the taxpayer. Nobody wins, except the ad agencies. There is the lack of quality in the provision of the subsidised service, the cost in wasted CPU cycles of downloading and rendering the ads (it's worth everybody installing an ad blocker just to discover how big this is), the cost in time and inconvenience of avoiding looking at them, and last but far from least the increased prices of the advertised goods in the shops needed to pay for the subsidy. Everybody loses! The idea that large parts of the economy can be subsidised by advertising is as ridiculous as the idea that they can be subsidised by the taxpayer. Nobody wins, except the ad agencies. There is the lack of quality in the provision of the subsidised service, the cost in wasted CPU cycles of downloading and rendering the ads (it’s worth everybody installing an ad blocker just to discover how big this is), the cost in time and inconvenience of avoiding looking at them, and last but far from least the increased prices of the advertised goods in the shops needed to pay for the subsidy.

Everybody loses!

]]> By: AhTim http://www.thetechbrief.com/2008/05/12/wifi-free-or-ad-supported/#comment-3429 AhTim Mon, 12 May 2008 14:17:42 +0000 http://www.thetechbrief.com/2008/05/12/wifi-free-or-ad-supported/#comment-3429 Very good idea. But the question is WHO will be the advertisers? Not easy to find Very good idea. But the question is WHO will be the advertisers? Not easy to find

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