Concord (CA) Begins Wi-Fi Buildout
The city of Concord has begun a pilot Wi-Fi network that may lead to free high-speed wireless Internet access for consumers and businesses throughout the city. Mountain View-based MetroFi Inc. is setting up the two-sided network, with one side for consumers and one reserved for city use.
From East Bay Business Times, June 23, 2006
Wall Street Journal on Cities and Free Wi-Fi
Sacramento, California's capital, wanted to pursue an even more aggressive model: a completely free wireless service supported solely by Internet advertising. "What the city wanted was out of the question," says Jay Wright, MobilePro's chief executive officer.
From The Wall Street Journal, June 20, 2006
Atlanta Shops for Public-Private Partnership
The City of Atlanta is actively seeking a public/private partnership to deploy an affordable wireless network throughout the City’s 132 square miles at no cost to the City. Wireless Atlanta will provide low-cost high-speed Internet access to residents, businesses, and visitors anytime and anywhere within the city. The City will also be able to use the network for mobile connectivity, strengthening public safety and streamlining government operations.
From City of Atlanta, June 20, 2006
Motorola Announces Three New Offerings
At the core of the new product line is the HotZone Duo, a low-cost, standards-based 802.11 solution featuring radios operating in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands, power-over-Ethernet capability, 802.11e quality of service and hop-to-hop encryption.
From MRT, June 20, 2006
Motorola Announces Three New Offerings
At the core of the new product line is the HotZone Duo, a low-cost, standards-based 802.11 solution featuring radios operating in the unlicensed 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands, power-over-Ethernet capability, 802.11e quality of service and hop-to-hop encryption.
From MRT, June 20, 2006
Colorado City Favors MobilePro Model
Longmont is partnering with MobilePro, a private company, to offer subscription-fee broadband-wireless service to residents and businesses. The city is forgoing the route some other cities have taken, in which wireless access is provided for free and paid for through revenue from advertising on users’ computer screens.
From Longmont Daily Times-Call, June 18, 2006
Civitium to Consult on Wireless Harlem RFP
Harlem has 225,000 residents, and a vast amount of outside interest, as it is one of the founding and present centers of African-American culture. There’s money waiting to be spent, clearly, on any efforts that can improve the quality of life, education, and financial status of the area’s residents.
From Wi-Fi Net News, June 15, 2006
Incumbent Telecoms Have Little to Fear
Strategy Analytics vice president of Applied Analytics, Tom Elliott, is the author of a new report called Municipal Broadband in the US: How Real a Threat to Incumbent Operators? The answer is to that question is, not much.
From Wi-Fi Planet, June 13, 2006
Telecom Execs Debate Broadband Perils
Patchy coverage. Cost management problems. Uneven levels of service. Why would any city want to try to manage its own high-speed network? A Canadian conference puts a spotlight on the issues.
From Business.ca, June 12, 2006
MobilePro Drops Sacramento Plans
Wireless broadband provider MobilePro Corp. said it is dropping out of a deal to build a Wi-Fi network in Sacramento. The Bethesda, Md.-based company had worked with city officials for more than a year to establish a wireless broadband network. But MobilePro pulled out of the agreement late last week, saying the city's plan to deliver free, ad-supported wireless high-speed access is not viable.
From RCR News, June 12, 2006
