While not really free, the idea behind FON is through sharing your network, you get access to others' networks, thus expanding your ability to be online. This is sort of the seti-at-home model for networks -- by giving up your 'excess/wasted' bandwidth, you can make the world better.
The latest in this push is in San Francisco, they are kicking off a Freedom Friday event to give away these standard Linksys routers with special firmware that provides the ability to offer up your network for others use while still protecting your internal network. In exchange, you can get access to others who are doing the same. I have my FON router, but haven't seen much usage, and haven't found any place where I've been that I could hook up to another FON network, but still hoping they grow!
I think FON should hook up with the actual PHONE companies to expand their smart phone offerings, like what T-Mobile has done with their dual Wi-Fi and Cell Service offering. You can learn more about it at www.theonlyphoneyouneed.com. Now, if you could expand the offering beyond their hot-spots through some kind of connection to FON...
The next few years should be interesting as Wi-Fi not only reaches critical mass, but we come up with more ways to open up private networks to exand the bandwidth and coverage available to users. I did read a paper on the use of open Wi-Fi networks for mobile vehicular access. The bandwidth/throughput is somewhat limited due to the acquisition rate and the mobile nature, but it is possible. Some applications will need to be modified to make it work in a discontinuous mode, but it will happen.
Kipp
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