[2685] in Privacy_Forum
[ PRIVACY Forum ] Concerns on the rise re "seamless" Wi-Fi downsides
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (PRIVACY Forum mailing list)
Thu Apr 12 14:22:01 2012
Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:05:32 -0700
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Concerns on the rise re "seamless" Wi-Fi downsides
Wi-Fi offloading: Who controls your handset?
http://j.mp/IqdbmL (Fierce Broadband)
"One of the latest trends in data offloading is client-centric network
management by the operator, meaning operators are becoming involved in
controlling which networks (cellular or Wi-Fi) their customers'
wireless devices access at any given time. This makes perfect sense
from an operator's standpoint, but, as a consumer, I find the concept
troubling."
- - -
Operator WiFi: Seamless is the wrong approach
http://j.mp/IqdCxc (Disruptive Wireless)
"And finally, there are times when seamless connection is outright bad
- for example, if a device is "forced" to use a specific network, when
the user or perhaps an app would prefer a different one. This is
especially relevant for WiFi, where there are frequently various
options for connection, with different ownership, speed, price,
security and features. Most WiFi use is private connectivity (it's
WLAN - ie wireless ethernet), not offload, and operators have no
business becoming involved in it. Think about an iPhone versus an
iPod Touch. Any WiFi use on the iPod is by definition private - it
can't be offload as it doesn't have a cellular radio to offload from.
Therefore the same use on an iPhone should also be considered as
private WiFi access, not offload, and outside of telco visibility and
control. Some of the proposed standards even suggest switching on the
device WiFi non-consensually by the network (see this post of mine
about OMA), while others such as the 3GPP's ANDSF tries to push or
enforce preferences for network selection."
- - -
--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein (lauren@vortex.com): http://www.vortex.com/lauren
Co-Founder: People For Internet Responsibility: http://www.pfir.org
Founder:
- Data Wisdom Explorers League: http://www.dwel.org
- Network Neutrality Squad: http://www.nnsquad.org
- Global Coalition for Transparent Internet Performance: http://www.gctip.org
- PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com
Member: ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
Google+: http://vortex.com/g+lauren / Twitter: http://vortex.com/t-lauren
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800 / Skype: vortex.com
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