From what I see, this isn't about creating a mesh network for many users, its about enabling communication with your friends or co-workers in places where there isn't network access. So in that sense, there is no chicken-egg problem. I was just wishing for something like this when skiing in Whistler last weekend so I could communicate with my friends without using int'l data/roaming.

If it replaces walkie talkies in rural areas you only need your friends to have them. I know in the Adirondack Mountains in NY has very spotty signal and would be great with a few friends. Currently we use walkie talkies that have a 23 mile range. They cost as a pair $43 on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001UE6MIO/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_d...) and they are single purpose and really don't need to worry about battery life.

Hmm... $43 for a 23 mile range, or $249 for a 2 mile range.

Sometimes improved technology isn't the right solution.

I don’t know about the 2 mi range - but the 23 mi range is in best possible conditions, line of sight from mountain top to valley. Those same walkie talkies advertise a 1 mi range in a "Neighborhood"

They are much farther then line of sight. I certainly get two miles in heavy forests and other side of hill. These work great for groups hiking and climbing.

http://www.buytwowayradios.com/blog/2006/07/the_truth_about_...

From your link:

> The range that a two-way radio advertises is the range that the radio should get in "ideal" conditions. Ideal conditions are line of sight, such as from a mountaintop to a valley below -- no interference at all.

> So what type of range can you expect from your radio? Usually half a mile up to two miles

As I said I get about 2 miles

Don't forget about the $65 licensing fee to operate the GMRS radios legally, which can only be used by the applicant and their immediate family:

https://www.fcc.gov/general/general-mobile-radio-service-gmr...

FRS = free the GMRS is not on by default and has to be programmed into the unit.

You're not going to get 23 miles or anything close to it with the FRS 500mW.

Compare the price to the previously existing Garmin Rhino, which shares GPS data among receivers and allows non-encrypted comms (privacy codes are to reduce interference/crosstalk and aren't really encryption). Garmin Rhinos cost ~$500 each, so if you can get a pair of these modules for $250 you are saving a ton of money considering the phone is something you already own.

Could seed metro networks with hubs. The need for additional hubs would grow with the number of users, which are in themselves hubs. You could cover most of NYC for a few thousand dollars a month and see adoption grow.

Yeah, the promise of "do things when you don't have signal" is predicated on a chain of people with these devices existing all the way from where you are to where a cell phone signal is. Which means you need to go to popular outdoorsy places, which (IMO) are intrinsically less interesting due to being around other people.

That would be nice, but is not what it does. It only enables communication between nearby devices (which includes gps location sharing), not mesh networking.