In many states it would be theft of services under state law, I think; but I also have an impression there's a federal criminal statute too, specifically for theft of Internet via WiFi.. But I'd have to ask a lawyer, to be certain of any of that.
I know that Florida has theft-of-services, because I once began finding a neighbor's trash (bagged) in my big Waste Management can. I got annoyed and called the sheriff, who sent a deputy. The deputy and I opened one of the bags and learned it was my next-door neighbor's trash, and he offered to arrest her for theft of services. I said no, I'll just talk to her. She apologized and explained that she was out of a job and hadn't paid her Waste Management bill. I let her use my trash bin for a month, she found another job, and all was well. Two years later her son was stealing tools from me, and I caught him. I could prove it, too, because I had (still have) a fancy engraving machine and my name and e-mail address are engraved on most of my tools. I was a little more vehement with the son than with the mother. Problem solved. Of course, he also knew I was a Judo instructor, head of my own dojo, and he thought I was a tougher dude than I ever really have been.
I imagine that Mr Ham has that consent, because, if he were stealing services, surely he wouldn't tell us here, even though we don't know his name or callsign because he won't tell us.
We're really OT here, but it's my thread.
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-- Carl
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