[1st-mile-nm] Fwd: Interesting Article on muni wi-fi

[Richard Lowenberg]

There are a growing number of articles and studies coming out on the failures
and downturns of evermore wifi companies and municipal/regional networking
projects.   A lot of lessons being learned.   Wireless networks are a critical
part of our developing networked society.   Getting the local-global social
model and the economic model to overlay neatly is a necessary, but not an easy
task.  Sasha Meinrath's good works and understandings deserve attention.
rl

Hopes for Wireless Cities Fade as Internet Providers Pull Out

By IAN URBINA
Published: March 22, 2008

Excerpt:

"He said that true municipal networks, the ones that are owned and
operated by municipalities, were far more sustainable because they
could take into account benefits that help cities beyond private
profit, including property-value increases, education benefits and
quality-of-life improvements that come with offering residents free
wireless access.

Mr. Meinrath pointed to St. Cloud, Fla., which spent $3 million two
years ago to build a free wireless network that is used by more than
70 percent of the households in the city."
...
In Minneapolis, the Internet service provider agreed to build the
network as long as the city committed to becoming an "anchor tenant"
by subscribing for a minimum number of city workers, like building
inspectors, meter readers, police officers and firefighters.

This type of plan is more viable, according to market analysts and
city officials, because the companies paying to mount the routers and
run the service are guaranteed a base number of subscribers to cover
the cost of their investment.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/22/us/22wireless.html?pagewanted=1

----- End forwarded message -----


Richard Lowenberg
1st-Mile Institute
P.O. Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504
505-989-9110;   505-603-5200 cell
rl at 1st-mile.com  www.1st-mile.com

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