Because SOWN will be providing features like multicast and IPv6 to end users on a city wide scale it will be possible to design applications which are impossible or inefficient with IPv4 unicast. Although SOWN does not provide these technologies natively yet but rather through layer 2 tunnels it is possible to simulate what could be done if ISPs provided the technologies to their customers.
Building on Dave Tarrant’s idea of providing Asterisk connectivity I propose a multicast two way radio service. This would essentially turn a PDA/IP phone into a two-way radio with unlimited range. Using IPv6 multicast gives enough ‘channels’ to allow people to create their own private channels or join pre-existing channels. Private channels could be password protected and used as a server free alternative to team speak. By using different ports other data could be sent over the same stream such as user data about the people in the channel or even binary files such as photos.
By combining this program with say the feed from a live event you can have people discuss the event as if they were in the same room.