So far as I know, "wireless-n" is not yet widely supported in linux yet. The Linux Wireless project has some open source drivers, which is awesome, but it will probably take some time before everything settles down into being totally reliable and bug-free.
The nice thing about wireless-n / 802.11n is that it is reportedly able to travel further distances. With grid computing and repeaters, the cost of network infrastructure goes down drastically.
What's more, some companies, like Meraki, are helping networks subsidize the cost of network management by easily reselling bandwidth on an ad-hoc basis. Of course, some network carriers are privy to the potential loss of revenue and restrict against such resale within their terms of service.
In remote areas, this can make a significant difference, as high-speed broadband access is not widespread, leaving expensive T1s and T3s the only alternatives.
