Tokyo has 20 times as much WiFi as it needs

Re:Tokyo has 20 times as much WiFi as it needs by traceroute66 on Thursday April 27, 2023 @05:38AM (#35725549)

> Why does this need a blockchain? Fon/BT has been sharing residential WiFi for years without blockchain

The difference is, as per the article, that the Japanese operator wants to re-imburse the WiFi hotspot subscriber. Something which is very much alien to BT's way of thinking.

Of course, whether blockchain is the right way do implement that aspect is a different question, and in terms of implementation I would agree that blockchain is un-necessary. But you know, blockchain bandwagon .....

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Tokyo has 20 times as much WiFi as it needs by sekh60 on Thursday April 27, 2023 @05:41AM (#35725580)

I really thought we all got off the blockchain bandwagon.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Tokyo has 20 times as much WiFi as it needs by traceroute66 on Thursday April 27, 2023 @05:45AM (#35725611)

So did I, so did I ... ;(

I still have memories of people like lawyers desperately asking me how they could use blockchain in their practice.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Tokyo has 20 times as much WiFi as it needs by bwesz on Thursday April 27, 2023 @06:59AM (#35726209)

Chuck could have used the blockchain to store the Rosella Drive address so it couldn't be tampered with. (This is only half a joke.)

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Tokyo has 20 times as much WiFi as it needs by EGreg on Thursday April 27, 2023 @05:47AM (#35725632)

We did. Anything with blockchain in it is a scam. This year the bandwagon should be AI.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Tokyo has 20 times as much WiFi as it needs by creshal on Thursday April 27, 2023 @06:41AM (#35726056)

Japan's lagging behind in technology hypes quite a lot.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Tokyo has 20 times as much WiFi as it needs by OJFord on Thursday April 27, 2023 @05:47AM (#35725633)

I suppose for solving the chicken-egg (provider-subscriber) problem, being able to pre-sell the token at a discount or because people believe it will blow up and be a popular way of accessing the internet and highly in demand, it may irrationally be easier to convince the average person to subscribe to your centralised 'blockchain' than to your.. database. A ponzi's sexier than a pre-order.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Tokyo has 20 times as much WiFi as it needs by TrapLord_Rhodo on Thursday April 27, 2023 @09:41AM (#35727972)

> I would agree that blockchain is un-necessary.

Blockchain is an easier buzzword to convey than 'Distributed ledger'. Distributed ledgers long predate BTC, but it is one of the things that make a 'blockchain', a 'blockchain'.

They don't require a system with it's own set of tokenomics, decentralization, Proof of work... it will be a centralized distributed ledger for managment and visibility of the network; i.g. a blockchain.

the 'blockchain'

[ Parent | on HN ]