Subject: [NEXTEL-1] World's First Wireless Island Network Shutdown Over Legal Squabble

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2003 03:09:49 -0400

World's First Wireless Island Network Shutdown Over Legal Squabble
Contributed by mmasnick on Mon, Oct 13 2003

So much for that plan. The small island of Niue, near Australia, made a bit of
news last June when it announced that the entire island was covered with a free
WiFi network - which was promoted as a way to bring more tourists to the small
island nation. It appears, however, that the Minister of Tourism didn't
communicate with the Minister of Telecom in the nation, and the network has been
shut down by the Telecom Minister for not having paid for a "radio license". Those
who run the network say that WiFi is exempt from the nation's laws requiring radio
licenses, but the bureaucrats apparently want their license fee. Considering the
island only has a population of about 2,000 (which has been rapidly decreasing),
you would think it would make sense for them to quickly work out a compromise that
would help them attract tourists back to the island again.

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First free wireless Web service goes offline

October 13 2003 at 12:12PM

Auckland - A free wireless Internet service on the Pacific island of Niue, the
first in the world, has been shut down just five months after it was launched
because it was not properly licenced, it was reported on Monday.

The nationwide WiFi service, set up in June by the Niue Internet Users Society,
was forced to close because it did not have a radio licence, the Weekly Niue News
said.

The society claims the low-powered system, set up for the more than a thousand
people living on the island of Niue north of Australia, is exempt from licencing
requirements under the island's Communications Act.

Niuean students, travellers on visiting yachts and tourists are upset at being
denied free access to the Internet and email on the island and have complained to
Minister of Telecommunications Toke Talagi, the report said.

However the minister has not relented.

"Everyone has to obey the laws of the land," he said.- Sapa-AFP

http://www.itechnology.co.za/index.php?click_id=31&art_id=qw1066039921133B255&set_id=1

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