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What's more, this new "public park" of frequencies also alow higher effective radiated power levels to be used, and that means greater operating range.

Even better, there's no bidding for space, no bureaucratic licensing processes, and no charge associated with using these new frequencies.

Well that might be "better" except for one thing -- there's also no comeback if someone else is using the same piece of spectrum as you and interfering with your data link.

Of course in a perfect world this wouldn't be a problem.

If there were conflicts between the wireless data links set up by various vendors then they'd just sit down and negotiate some kind of solution to everyone's advantage.

Indeed, it seems that work is already underway in Hawkes Bay to set up a cooperative user group to avoid just such conflicts.

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Unfortunately, as anyone who's followed the battle between Walker Wireless and BCL knows, we don't live in a perfect world.

Only this week did these two major players narrowly avoid having a very public legal bunfight over the issue of frequency clashes and potential inteference -- so what's going to happen in a completely uncontrolled space?

While I'm sure neither BCL nor Walker Wireless would stoop to such tactics, there must be an awful temptation to deliberately distrupt a competitor's offerings through the strategic placement of transmitters designed solely to interfere with their links.

And we'd never see a major telco deliberately act in a mean, unfair or nasty (but legal) way to protect its profits -- would we? Nah, it could never happen.

However, although there's nothing to stop gang warfare from breaking out in this "public park", I'm pretty sure it was a very smart move on the part of government.

With luck, it will keep the cost of access to a minimum while greatly expanding the extent of broadband penetration into remote areas.

Now if someone could just sort out this vexing issue of data caps and the ridiculous cost of over-cap traffic.

If any Aardvark readers have an opinion on today's column or want to add something you're also invited to chip in and have your say.

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