Entire city of Philadelphia may become wireless hotspot...

[ragingfish]

Quote »Entire city of Philadelphia may be wireless hotspotJanuary 23, 2005BY MICHAEL RUBINKAMPhiladelphia is putting the finishing touches on an ambitious plan to offer free and low-cost wireless Internet access by the summer of 2006 that proponents say will help bridge the ''digital divide'' that separates rich from poor.Chief Information Officer Dianah Neff described what would be the nation's largest publicly available Wi-Fi hotspot, covering all of the city's 135 square miles.The service will be offered free in public parks and at a steep discount to low-income residents, Neff said. Businesses and other residents will pay more, but still get ''broadband speeds at dial-up rates,'' she said.Neff said a public-private partnership of a kind ''we haven't seen before'' will run the service. In early March, the city will ask companies to submit proposals to build and run the network, which is expected to cost $10.5 million to establish.Dozens of cities and towns nationwide have begun or announced similar plans, but Philadelphia's would be the largest for public use.Telephone companies that sell broadband Internet have lobbied for laws to regulate or bar such municipal competition, but Philadelphia and Verizon Communications, the dominant local phone carrier, struck an agreement last November to allow the city to proceed.AP

[Reynoma]

This will be really cool (since I work in Philly). I could check emails and do some work while sitting outside in the park.

[zionzr2]

They are trying for the same thing here in Madison, WI, too.