Should cable companies turn to WiFi?

No, Cable Companies should not turn to WiFi as their wide-area wireless broadband strategy. WiFi is only intended for use in local area network deployments. HSPA, Mobile WiMAX & LTE are better suited for wide-area networks.

I agree but for different reasons. From an engineering point of view. Wireless applications are fine but are still limited in the amount of bandwidth that is available and the limited RF spectrum available. In any given application if you need the mobility that wireless offers you must also accept its limitations. As technology moves forward these types of systems will be unable to keep up with greater bandwidth demands of the future that will be taken for granted. Historically the demand for bandwidth has never gone down. That is why the cell companies understand, in bandwidth there is profit. The "buzz" word "convergence" actually describes the bringing together of many services over the same data pipe to increase traffic and profits, like I-Phone, texting, video etc.. That is why fiber optic networks are the basic networks of the future because as far as we know at this time there are no practical limitations to the amount of bandwidth available that is limited by the physics of the fiber optic cable itself. The largest problem with fiber optic systems of the future will be our ability to software manage the huge amount of bandwidth that these systems are capable of. Copper based systems and RF/wireless systems have practical physical limitations to the speed that they can be modulated. This limits their capabilities. We also have to consider the source. From my experience most equipment vendors have self-vested interests and are only interested in getting a return on their investments. They are not concerned if their product is good for a particular network design now or in the future. To the "sales person" it isn't what is in the best interests of the customer or the Public, but the sale itself.
So the future really is with the use of fiber optics. But today the real problem in deployment and in the deployment of broadband in America, is that unlike copper, fiber isn't everywhere.

So "let the buyer be aware".