A business owner can implement a WiFi network for the use of his/her customers and offer it as a free service to get people to go to their place of business over their competition. Then, there is the ability for a company like Boingo where different owners of a store or shop, etc. put in a Boingo device and the endusers need a Boingo account to login but, they are able to login where ever their is a Boingo WiFi device weather its around the Lake or out at an airport or hotel California.
If you look at chain like Starbucks, they offer wireless connectivity for their users but those users need an account with their provider to login and its expensive. Then again, I read an article about this town out in California where they offer WiFi to everyone for free. They have the transmitters all over the town.
As far as being able to log into most WiFi that's probably right but you would need to create an antenna with a lot of gain or purchase one for a few hundred dollars and know how to use a sniffer and be knowledgeable. Otherwise, you would need to be sitting on the owner's front porch then, they may get a little annoyed and begin encrypting traffic and making it harder to login.
Now, for the common Internet user, an out-of-the-box, long range wireless Internet connection with a reach of up to 2 miles and the ability to be in the town or in a bay and gain access would be enticing, right?
Best,
Jane