W2i Finalizes Digital Cities Joint State Briefing Program in Riverside, California   Boston. 05/02/2008 — To provide local authorities and state-level wireless and public-safety stakeholders with a firsthand understanding of broadband-wireless infrastructure planning, applications and services, the Wireless Internet Institute and the City of Riverside will co-host the W2i Digital Cities Joint State Briefing in Riverside, California, on Tuesday, May 13, with opening remarks by Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge. This daylong thought-leadership forum focuses on leading broadband-wireless implementations in Riverside (CA), Minneapolis (MN), Anaheim (CA) and Pomona (CA), and is an opportunity for local-government field practitioners, industry experts and state-level officials to meet for a wide-ranging discussion on key application drivers and sustainable business models. The conference further provides a platform to discuss the role of local, state and federal government in promoting broadband access and digital inclusion, and will include representatives of the State of California Office of Homeland Security, the State of Arizona Information and Technology Agency, the California Emerging Technology Fund, and the California Broadband Task Force. "On behalf of Mayor Loveridge, I welcome W2i Digital Cities, supporters and attendees to the City of Riverside and the Inland Empire Tech Week," said Steve Reneker, CIO, City of Riverside, and conference co-chair. "The Digital Cities Joint State Briefing is an opportunity for a top-to-bottom discussion on sustainable broadband-wireless deployment for local communities and to assess the potential of these networks for improved government efficiency and educational, social and economic development." "W2i embraces the opportunity to co-host the Digital Cities Joint State Briefing with the City of Riverside in recognition of its leadership on broadband-wireless planning for the benefit of both citizens and government," said Daniel Aghion, Executive Director, Wireless Internet Institute, and conference co-chair. "W2i welcomes broadband-wireless project leaders, local authorities and state officials for this in-depth exploration of project drivers, implementation hurdles and funding opportunities." The Digital Cities Joint State Briefing is sponsored by BelAir Networks, the leading provider of mobile broadband mesh network solutions with more than 450 deployments worldwide including leading cities such as Minneapolis, London and Toronto, high-profile venues such as Lincoln Center in New York, and Dolphin Stadium in Miami and in mission-critical Defense applications including the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, Charleston. BelAir Networks will provide high-speed wireless access at the Riverside Convention Center. Public-sector officials and representatives of academia and NGOs attend free. For more information and to register, visit W2i.com. About W2i and the Digital Cities Series The Wireless Internet Institute (W2i) is an independent forum bringing together stakeholders around the world to accelerate the adoption of wireless Internet in support of better managed and safer cities and regions. W2i's 2008 events include a thought-leadership conference exploring the planning and deployment of broadband-wireless infrastructure; practical training for local authorities and roundtables on key application drivers produced in partnership with the public sector and private sector. The Digital Cities Convention kicked off in Philadelphia in May 2005 and has traveled to Shanghai, San Francisco, Bilbão, Houston, Rio de Janeiro, Taipei, Los Angeles, London, Chicago, Seoul, São Paulo and Tallahassee. back Cover An Event! Sign up to receive W2i's latest announcements: Journalist's e-mail Powered by VerticalResponse