I am NOT looking for a few links on how everyone will at some point
move to broadband.  My goal is to prove that people will still want
dial-up connection in the next 5-10 years because there is a part of
the population that can only afford dial-up.

I don't think it will be a matter of afford, but rather a matter of
access to the physical lines.

As technology changes, dial-up will become more expensive, as dial-up
equipment is gradually phased out in favor of higher-speed solutions.
At some point the prices will equalize, and dial-up'll be deader than
a doornail within a very short period. Who'd choose slow instead of
fast.

---l

It is a matter of technology and the more that is out there the more
the price will come down.

HERE IS MY DISCLAIMER FOR THE NEXT PART WHICH I WOULD NOT CONDONE OR SUGGEST.

I know of serveral instances where I have seen several neighbors share
high speed connections. Because of wireless technology only 1 person
would have to buy the high speed connection and the others have the
wireless cards that share this connection. If the signal starts to die
2 homes down a signal booster (sold at Best buy , Circuit city ETC) is
put in place and this could   go on forever BUT the more people that
are on a network and the more traffic that passes the more it can
slow. So I have seen the high speed get shared for like 4 bucks a
month per family.

Thanks

Here in the UK, Broadband is restricted to those with access to

a) Cable (like me)

b) ADSL (like one of my daughters: one side of her road has cable but
hers doesn't).

However, not everyone can get ADSL at present which evidently needs a
fix at the switch but this must only be a matter of time.

Interesting comment from wifi_jaxwireless_com-ga ... but why might it be illegal?

Sidenote: Has wifi_jaxwireless_com-ga got the longest handle on GA and
have I spelled it right?

Please wifi, for the sake of my poor fingers Think Small!

Hi Question777,

In fact Broadband may be cheaper sooner than we may realise. E.G. Dial
up at $29/month plus the cost of the call to dial up gets close to the
fixed cost of ADSL. Consider the disconnections or choice of dialling
up twice or three times a day. ADSL is available for less than
$50/month.

Yes.  However you're right that dial-up will be required for many
years to come.  Not just because of the cost, but because high-speed
lines are not going to be available in every corner of the country. 
More than half the computers in the USA are on high-speed links, but
that includes corporate offices on T1, T3, etc. lines.

Sorry for the long name ,,, Look close .. Had to relate to email.

In regards to the legalities .. Kinda like 1 guy buying cable and the
rest of the neighbors tapping into it.

It is a catch 22 tho. Kinda like in some states it is still against
the law to shower naked BUT in order to catch someone doing this you
must be watching making you a peeping tom which is also against the
law.

So because this is wireless the chances of getting caught .. Well
someone would have to come in and see what you are doing or have
someone tell on you and then prove it.

There have been several instances in apartents or close neighbors
where I know if someone is running wireless you could tap in and they
90% of the time would never know that you are using their connection.
They sell a device at (Comp USA) ETC that will sniff out the wifi
networks..

Like a search on ebay for wifi finder
http://search.ebay.com/wifi-finder_W0QQsofocusZbsQQsbrftogZ1QQfromZR10QQsotrZ2QQsosortpropertyZ1QQsosortorderZ1

shows these devices.

Thanks
Steve

OOOPS just noticed your name .. You might know more about the
legalities than me...  Anyway... Just as a demo you can check
www.jaxwireless.com to see how many unsecure networks are out there.

Thanks
Steve

Wow, Wifi ...

Real scary!

I never knew it was illegal to shower naked in some states ... 

I am worrying now that one day the State Troopers will come a-knocking
on my door, particularly if they've got bought a wifi-finder off ebay
and they are reading this comment.

There's someone at the door ...

It wasn't me, Officer ... It was Piers Brosnan ... we are always getting mistaken.

(Sound of gunfire)

<Grin> No this device does not show anyone that operates service that
is against the law only that they are operating wireless. I was
driving around one night and on average with my laptop and the right
software I was picking up (on average) 2 wireless networks a min. 90%
of these are open networks and the people do not even know what they
have opened up. You can log on to their systems within seconds and
access???? If you install one just install the basic security or your
neighbor might be enoying those family photos you have.
Shows a scan at (http://www.Jaxwireless.com)

Thanks
Steve

ProBonoPublic - Had to throw in ... Keep running in to your posts IE
(Mother in law no english) ... The naked law was pertaining to Florida
.. Very old law that was never abolished .. Guess it dates back to the
days when people would shower outside?
ProBonoPublic... Could have used that my last atty just took me for 5k
and my pubDef want to paper push... But Va bar will have that license
if I have anything to say about it.. OK enough off topic.
Thanks
Steve WIFI@

Nielsen//NetRatings puts the percentage of U.S. households (not
counting corporate offices) on broadband at 51%, versus just 38% last
year. It says the year-to-year growth was 47% for broadband, with a 
13% drop for dial-up, but who knows if that will continue.

See: http://www.netratings.com/pr/pr_040818.pdf