There’s a practice in urban areas that has been growing that has finally been picked up by the mainstream media. The New York Times has published an article describing how big city dwellers desperate for high-speed internet access are going to their neighbors and “piggy-backing”. Internet access is expensive for many people who need it, particularly students, and piggy-backing is a way to make it affordable.

The practice no doubt works better in high-rise apartment buildings and enterprising individuals approach neighbors who already have wired high-speed internet access. By offering to provide a wireless router and split the cost of the access, two families are getting high-speed internet for the price of one.

I can see it now- a whole building with one portal sharing access for about $50 a month. Wonder what providers will do when this gets bigger?