Here's why SBC's lobbying against free WiFi

TechBlog blogged SBC was a major lobbying force for a ban against cities offering municipal WiFi during the regular session of the Texas Legislature. Now you know why. This San Antonio Business Journal story says SBC is aggressively rolling out its own broadband WiFi network:

SBC is focusing its wireless strategy on growing a large base of hot spots at restaurants, coffee shops, malls, book stores, airports, state parks and other places where people tend to congregate. SBC's wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) service, called SBC FreedomLink, is currently available at more than 8,000 locations, and the company has set a goal of having 20,000 locations by 2006, according to SBC spokesman Andy Shaw. . . .

SBC also is pricing its WiFi service very aggressive:

SBC is making its Wi-Fi service available to SBC DSL (digital subscriber line) customers for an additional $1.99 per month. The total bill for a basic connection would be as little as $17 a month, compared to the monthly fee of $79.99 to access Verizon Wireless' broadband wireless network.... People who are not SBC Wi-Fi customers can purchase a 24-hour SBC Wi-Fi session for $7.95 or a monthly SBC membership for $19.95.

Citywide access would be a lot better, but then companies would not be able to offer access as a perk, and providers would not be able to make money selling that access to multiple companies.