Hairy_Lee said:
i think it also involves having a license for public transmission of content. they will be transmitting content without a license
Not sure what the laws are there in the UK but in the US this is not an issue because in all honesty ANY time you use a wireless router you are "publicly" transmitting content. Of course the wise thing to do is to secure your network. The only time you need a license is for broadcasting a certain stength of radio signals (not certain what though) but a router isn't NEAR that strong.
Yah it's ilegal. And really it's illegal for them to "share" it publicly as well, so even if you do get permission you and them can still get in trouble for sharing. You're supposed to keep your internet access to you own home, letting your neighbors and friends use it isn't allowed, it's basically giving people free internet, and the ISP is losing money.
It really isn't illegal, it will however violate your providers TOS which could risk you getting your internet shut off. It would however be illegal if they were paying you for your service. However the chances of them catching you share your broadband via wireless router is VERY VERY VERY slim because they would never be able to tell that that computer is outside of your house.
But then of course you are also putting yourself at risk because you don't know if they will be using your internet for illegal activity. Risky business if you ask me and definately not worth it.
Now as for the original post, yes its illegal and not worth the risk. I however have personal issues with this because up untill wireless routers became a common household object nobody "owns" the airwaves (including radio transmissions). This is basically giving people ownership to transmissions.
If someone taps into your phone that is illegal, but if someone receives signal from your cordless phone and listens in, it's not illegal because they don't own those waves. I don't think it should be any different for this situation. Not to mention I think its their own fault for not securing their network.
But then again I also wish people would just suck it up and pay for their own internet. It's not that expensive these days so there is not excuse. I'm torn
Anyway, thats just my 2 cents.