"... I'd go and offer places like Starbucks and Chapters free wireless for their customers. ..."
I wouldn't regret the decision that much if your idea revolved around Starbucks or even other large aggregators of customers. Joseph Park of Kozmo fame (see e-Dreams DVD) had a similiar idea back in Web 1. The deal went down requiring Kozmo paying Starbucks for the big bucks for the rights to serve their customers with a drop-off facility in what was meant to be a partnership. That's right they had to pay for the right to access customers. (You can see more on e-Dreams here ~ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0262021/ )
So it might be a good idea but those with the customers aren't too interested in others servicing their customers. I don't know how you get around this.
Besides, any time you have to ask permission you are in trouble.
I wouldn't regret the decision that much if your idea revolved around Starbucks or even other large aggregators of customers. Joseph Park of Kozmo fame (see e-Dreams DVD) had a similiar idea back in Web 1. The deal went down requiring Kozmo paying Starbucks for the big bucks for the rights to serve their customers with a drop-off facility in what was meant to be a partnership. That's right they had to pay for the right to access customers. (You can see more on e-Dreams here ~ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0262021/ )
So it might be a good idea but those with the customers aren't too interested in others servicing their customers. I don't know how you get around this.
Besides, any time you have to ask permission you are in trouble.