Martin free wireless plan brings muni WiFi disaster back from the dead

OK, public spectrum, take 2. Or is it 3? After the infamous D-block auction meltdown, the FCC is set with a new plan to have the private sector deliver free Internet over the airwaves, Reuters...

Blog posts | December 3, 2008 7:20am PST
Earthlink finally pulls out of Wireless Philly, but all is not lost

The final nail in the coffin of municipal Wi-Fi was hammered today as Earthlink pulled the plug on Philadelphia's wireless program, as the Wall Street Journal reports. "This was about a business...

Blog posts | May 13, 2008 5:11pm PDT
Cities themselves may be muni Wi-Fi's savior

Municipalities that plan to use new Wi-Fi networks being built in their cities will likely drive future growth of the citywide Wi-Fi movement.

News items | October 24, 2007 4:00am PDT
The summer that Muni Wi-Fi died

Speaking of Tim Wu, the good professor has written an intriguing piece for Slate subtitled Why Municipal Wireless Networks Have Been Such a Flop. Wu says it's not that public wireless is a bad...

Blog posts | October 2, 2007 8:32pm PDT
Week in review: EarthLink woes eclipse Wi-Fi plans

EarthLink's financial concerns imperil muni Wi-Fi projects, and Microsoft readies Vista's first major update. Also: Piracy versus privacy.

News items | August 31, 2007 9:54am PDT
Municipal wi-fi on the ropes

I'm constantly amazed at the places Glenn Fleishman's excellent articles turn up. That latest, on the problems municipal wi-fi networks are facing is in The Economist (the only newsweekly worth...

Blog posts | August 31, 2007 8:17am PDT
EarthLink's woes put free muni Wi-Fi in peril

EarthLink says it can't afford to foot the bill to build citywide Wi-Fi networks, jeopardizing cities' plans to provide low-income residents with affordable broadband.

News items | August 31, 2007 4:00am PDT
Muni Wi-Fi in trouble unless cities cough up some (big) bucks

Not that long ago, municipal Wi-Fi was the talk of the town, so to speak. These days the latest rendition of the information superhighway is getting a bumpy ride, or plenty of static (choose your...

Blog posts | August 15, 2007 10:28pm PDT
Bill would forbid laws against muni Wi-Fi

US Representatives Rick Boucher (R-Va.) and Fred Upton (R-Mich.) this week resurrected the Community Broadband Act of 2007 (PDF). The measure to block state laws from preventing municipal Wi-Fi...

Blog posts | August 3, 2007 9:44am PDT
The realities of municipal Wi-Fi

Municipal Wi-Fi is a step in the wrong direction -- back to a time where there was one telephone company and one provider of cable TV. By necessity, we still have no choice of electric company,...

Blog posts | July 17, 2007 10:15am PDT
Why municipal WiFi is an educational expense

I'm not big on large government-funded projects, whether at the federal, state, or local levels. In my experience, they just have a tendency to go awry. Of course, I live outside of Boston. Can...

Blog posts | July 17, 2007 6:18am PDT
Is muni Wi-Fi dead? Microsoft is wondering

At the Muni Wireless 2007 conference in New England recently, Microsoft officials commented on the future of Wi-Fi, and it looks a bit bleak, reports Computerworld. "We're finding that there are...

Blog posts | June 7, 2007 7:39pm PDT
In defense of muni Wi-Fi

Esme Vos wrote a long post today taking apart an AP story that says Lompoc, CA, has wasted taxpayer money on a Wi-Fi networks no one wants. The AP article could have used some fact checking. It...

Blog posts | May 22, 2007 10:49am PDT
Municipal Wi-Fi is still facing challenges

A newly published Information Week article calls into question the short-to-mid-term market appeal of municipal Wi-Fi. Muni Wi-Fi built by such service providers as MetroFi- one of whose access...

Blog posts | May 20, 2007 9:17pm PDT
EarthLink pulls back on muni Wi-Fi

Municipal Wi-Fi projects are being put on the back burner by EarthLink, a major contractor to local governments, reports Info World. After first quarter losses of about $30 million, Earthlink has...

Blog posts | April 30, 2007 12:12pm PDT
Muni Wi-Fi can deliver speed, coverage if properly designed

The best networks are twice as fast as true 3G cellular with almost as good coverage. The secret is not to skimp on the access points. In cities, Wi-Fi nets need more than 100 per square mile.

Blog posts | January 24, 2007 11:07am PST
Muni Wi-Fi threatened by patent decision

Australian agency wins case asserting patents on key 802.11 technology. If Wi-Fi comes with a license fee, economics of muni wireless could be endangered.

Blog posts | November 21, 2006 11:16am PST
Muni Wi-Fi brings fears of online predators

Advocates worry that kids will be 'interactive when parents aren't looking.'

Blog posts | September 14, 2006 2:17pm PDT
Muni Wi-Fi not as easy as it looks

A number of cities are now fielding irate calls from citizens who feel the services don't work as advertised.

Blog posts | May 1, 2006 10:22am PDT
A tax for muni Wi-Fi?

Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith proposes freedom for governments to run wireless networks but isn't touching net neutrality.

Blog posts | April 25, 2006 11:40am PDT