Techworld's Bryan Betts reports that 3Com and reseller 802UK are fighting back against Wi-Fi paranoia among parents and teachers. The company say, Betts writes, that "not only is wireless less harmful than mobile phones, but it can provide major educational benefits."

"A lot of money is being spent on the wrong things," says 802UK's Gary Hudson. "When we host seminars, 80 percent of schools say yes, we have a wireless network, and no, it doesn't work properly."

Hudson also makes the extremely logical point that "even if you turn off the school network, RF [radio frequency radiation] is still there in every street -- there may be ten to fifteen other access points still broadcasting."

"Unfortunately, the general public will continue to have a nodding acquaintance with risk," writes Techworld's Maxwell Cooter. "This after all is a country where flights are cancelled because of fears of terrorism. A country where parents drive children to school for fear of paedophiles, ignoring the level of traffic accidents. A country where parents will send children out in the sun with scant protection from the rays, yet fear the negligible risk of Wi-Fi -- there's quite some education process to go through."