Yes, this is a subject for discussion, however, might not be linux specific, really.  But it is something for the PLUG open source politicos?

The whole discussion of where the cable/telco's are going with regards to providing information access bandwidth seems to be as varied as political ideologies.  Sure, it could be managed in a non-profit way, and various muni's have big WiFi.  I believe  Microsoft's investment is a new technology that expands on airwaves opened recently.  One of the big technologies to watch is expected to be National WiFi/WiMax. 

There is expected to be strong competition between the phone companies and any big wireless breakthrough.  In Europe they are less controlled with regards to Voip packet traffic access than America, but the new G2 phones (and the old G1 T-Mobile Hotspot Google phones running the Android system) also provide free Wifi that actually works to automatically provide free Internet services without paying airtime. 

In 2003, I put in a private enterprise Nomadix in Produce Row in Portland that covered nearly half of the whole SE/Downtown area, which did a http request to ElevenWireless who handled all the billing.  It WAS VERY PROFITABLE in the bars/coffee shops and uber renewed industrial artists lofts.  But of course, everyone has tried to use the ASU systems (didn't work for me)?