Lack of Internet

[Aerevolt]

I'm on vacation in a rural area. Despite having somewhat reliable cell reception in years past, this year I have almost none. The place I'm staying has a very weak wifi and it kicks you off from time to time.
This is good and bad.
It's nice to get away from the connected world for a while, and really reflect on my life.
However, almost every app I have on my phone requires some level of connectivity, rendering it almost useless. I also can't maintain conversations over text, as I can loose all the signal for hours on end.

Quick question, should there be world wide wifi?
Is that where we're headed? Should it be limited to first world countries as a basic human right?

 

[madwarper]

I'm on vacation in a rural area.

Surely, there's some reason that you chose to go to this rural area for vacation, as opposed to staying home, where you (presumably) have a much better internet connection... Right?

I mean, why not just completely unplug for the time, and enjoy the place you're at?

Quick question, should there be world wide wifi?
Is that where we're headed? Should it be limited to first world countries as a basic human right?

What good is wifi being available if not everyone has a) devices able to connect to wifi, and b) electricity to power said devices?

But, if facebook's solar wifi drone proves to be effective, world-wide wifi might not be an impossibility.

 

[The Lunatic]

Wifi-everywhere would be pretty neat.

As it stands though, there is something a little romantic about having places where you're completely off-grid.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

I'm on vacation in a rural area. Despite having somewhat reliable cell reception in years past, this year I have almost none. The place I'm staying has a very weak wifi and it kicks you off from time to time.
This is good and bad.
It's nice to get away from the connected world for a while, and really reflect on my life.
However, almost every app I have on my phone requires some level of connectivity, rendering it almost useless. I also can't maintain conversations over text, as I can loose all the signal for hours on end.

There are some life hacks around that should let you make an aluminum foil focusing disc to get better cell and wifi reception if needed. Assuming you know where the Wifi access point and cell tower are.

Quick question, should there be world wide wifi?
Is that where we're headed? Should it be limited to first world countries as a basic human right?

No there really shouldn't be world wide wifi, it'd be impossible to secure with WPA2, or the like. Which means any data you send over such a network is completely unencrypted and readable to anyone within wifi range of your device.

I hope we're not headed towards global wifi, for previous security concerns.

As much as I love my internet, no, internet access is a luxury, not a necessity to live.

 

[Aerevolt]

I'm on vacation in a rural area. Despite having somewhat reliable cell reception in years past, this year I have almost none. The place I'm staying has a very weak wifi and it kicks you off from time to time.
This is good and bad.
It's nice to get away from the connected world for a while, and really reflect on my life.
However, almost every app I have on my phone requires some level of connectivity, rendering it almost useless. I also can't maintain conversations over text, as I can loose all the signal for hours on end.

Quick question, should there be world wide wifi?
Is that where we're headed? Should it be limited to first world countries as a basic human right?

Love your last statement, So we should deprive third world countries of internet access to? Yeah no amount of elitism right there.

Sorry, combined a few thoughts at once.
Is wifi a basic human right? (Clean drinking water is also considered as such, but isn't available everywhere)
Is the Internet a utility, as essential as it is in the first world?

 

[teqrevisited]

I'm quite glad there are places that don't have wifi. I recently stayed somewhere with no internet access or phone signal. It was great. Got a ton of fishing, drinking and sunburning done.

 

[Something Amyss]

Quick question, should there be world wide wifi?

It's not WiFi, but someone was pitching a worldwide data stream setup o nKickstarter or Indiegogo or some crowdfunding site. It probably wouldn't meet most of our daily needs, but it's an interesting idea in itself.

Global WiFi is a but impractical at this point. Even "first world" WiFi might be. Especially in places like the US where companies don't want to update their infrastructure as it is.

There are some life hacks around that should let you make an aluminum foil focusing disc to get better cell and wifi reception if needed. Assuming you know where the Wifi access point and cell tower are.

When did "basic understanding of the mechanics of wireless reception" become a "life hack?"

I'm quite glad there are places that don't have wifi. I recently stayed somewhere with no internet access or phone signal. It was great. Got a ton of fishing, drinking and sunburning done.

There's another solution, one that is actually quite useful.

Turn off your device.

This has the added benefit of the device still being usable in an emergency.

 

[teqrevisited]

I'm quite glad there are places that don't have wifi. I recently stayed somewhere with no internet access or phone signal. It was great. Got a ton of fishing, drinking and sunburning done.

There's another solution, one that is actually quite useful.

Turn off your device.

This has the added benefit of the device still being usable in an emergency.

No need for the snark. I'm well aware of that.

 

[Something Amyss]

No need for the snark. I'm well aware of that.

No need to accuse me of snark. It was an earnest statement.

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

Global WiFi is a but impractical at this point. Even "first world" WiFi might be. Especially in places like the US where companies don't want to update their infrastructure as it is.

Global wifi would be impractical, due to the security concerns at the very minimum. You can't have the world's population running around on unencrypted wifi that any one with a receiver can read with no trouble. Also the problem with 2.4ghz signal propagation, like the fact it has trouble penetrating solid objects such as drywall, wood, stone, brick, and insulation, while being unable to penetrate metal like all electromagnetic signals.

Also some companies hate to update their infrastructure, some like Charter communications take infrastructure updates as a constantly never finished job. Which is why companies like that are providing better service with more bandwidth, yet lowering prices at the same time.

When did "basic understanding of the mechanics of wireless reception" become a "life hack?"

Since wireless technology became commonly accessible to the typical layman of society. It's one of those things people won't think to do, yet it's so dead simple, along with causing lots of "why didn't I think of that?" moments.

 

[FoolKiller]

Quick question, should there be world wide wifi?
Is that where we're headed? Should it be limited to first world countries as a basic human right?

To answer your questions:
No, I would prefer more wifi/cell service free locations.
I hope not. And you think internet ranks with food and shelter?

However, almost every app I have on my phone requires some level of connectivity, rendering it almost useless.

This is what I find most aggravating. Most don't need it, but decide to require it for whatever annoying reasons they have. This is what you should really be upset about.

 

[CeeBod]

Places with no internet can be nice to visit, but damn I wouldn't want to live there!

I've moved around a lot with work (I've now lived in 30-plus different places) and literally the first thing I look for when choosing a new flat/house/whatever is "Can I get a decent internet connection there?" When I was stuck out in the sticks for a while I fully researched satelite internet services, just in case I'd need them to stay connected - so whilst it may not rank with food and shelter as a basic human right, it's pretty damned important! p

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

From almost every conceivable angle a more connected world is a better one; yet despite this, the more connected the world gets the more I like to 'unplug'. Go figure.

 

[Vicarious Reality]

Welcome to the 90's

 

[Guffe]

At times I almost disconnect myself for short periods of time just because I want to have that little alonetime. Then again going to my grnadparents cabbin and just not getting internet connection, leaving the phone in bed, and going fishing, can be some of the best times. Nothing beeping around you and just getting to chill.

 

[Hoplon]

I just use it as time to catch up on my reading, e readers for the win.

 

[Revolutionary]

Are you stayin in Australia, sounds like Australia. When I'm getting ready for a trip where I think I might have limited or no internet access I stock up on good books and charge all of my handhelds (3ds, vita). You probably should have been more prepared, but yeah buy a book.

 

[CrystalShadow]

As much as I love my internet, no, internet access is a luxury, not a necessity to live.

That's hardly a meaningful point.
Many things these days are 'essential' (at least in western countries) even though they are not necessities.

Electricity, phones, indoor plumbing, cars... All of these are luxuries on the same level as internet access is in the modern world.
The world changes, and what is necessary to get by varies.
Being without internet won't kill you, but it will seriously cripple you in a modern western society.

In that sense it's no more a luxury than any other common utility around at the moment.