Can you see the irony here?  Rather than compete on price, wireless carriers used to emphasize quality of service, availability and signal strength.  They spent millions on advertising explaining the superiority of their networks and billions in acquiring licensed spectrum.  Now they seem to have come upon a strategy that uses spectrum that they cannot control and must share with home Wi-Fi users apparently with no diminution in service, or congestion.  No “tragedy of the commons” overconsumption, because the wireless carriers will have techniques to avoid interference—apparently without having to identify vacant spectrum before using it.

            If licensed wireless carriers had their way, there would be no unlicensed spectrum for voice and Internet access.  You should read their filings over the years explaining the catastrophic consequences of noncommercial, private and unlicensed spectrum use.  These carriers wanted to charge for Wi-Fi service.  Failing that gambit, they want to expropriate unlicensed spectrum and convert it from noncommercial private use to commercial, for profit use.  What a deal!  Is this country great, or what?

            Verizon et al will try to explain how access to Wi-Fi is essential, right now!  Of course they will try to frame the Wi-Fi option as having nothing to do with saving money, or  not having to invest in more spectrum.

            Carriers no longer seem concerned about offloading traffic and free riding on the broadband and wireless spectrum of others.  This practice used to be derisively termed “hot potato routing.”  Now it’s a clever and greedy gambit to avoid paying their fair share for the bandwidth and spectrum they use.