Chris

Yeah, let's set up a petition for free drink in pubs, free sandwiches in Starbucks and free videos in Blockbuster while we're at it.

The petitioner's rationale for this is nonsense. For starters, El Gordo Brown allocated that 3G dosh years ago (a lot of it went on paying off the national debt). And exactly how is providing free WiFi at the taxpayer's expense supposed to 'future proof all aspects of business'? I'd have thought it would have the opposite effect, it would put out of business those companies that are currently selling WiFi access (or even giving it away free in return for the user viewing some adverts, which is exactly what I'm doing right now, as it happens). It would also lock us into a national infrastructure constructed on today's wireless standards, funded from a one-off pot of cash and with therefore no means of upgrading to newer, faster standards in future.

This idea, if it were ever implemented, would be a disaster, every bit as monolithic and inflexible as the former, state-owned British Telecom. Fortunately it'll be a long, cold day in hell before it happens, so we don't need to worry too much.

I'd have appreciated it if the person who started the petition had been a bit more honest as well, instead of waffling on about business and communication, they should have just been honest: "because, like, I want to play wiv the internet whenever I feel like it and I think someone else should have to pay for it."

Don't think I'll be signing this one.