« Washington Post Caught in Metadata Gaffe? | Home | links for 2006-02-24 »
The Current State of Muni WiFi
By Larry Hendrick | February 23, 2006
Chicago and Houston have entered the fray of Muni Wifi, and ready or not, the games begin. My views are clear, but I am not against the technology. I am against the cities getting involved. Houston claims that it will be private companies that will invest the $12 Billion dollars to build the infrastructure, but they didn’t mention the expense they will encure in securing access to the light poles from Houston Light & Power.
Houston, last week, released a RFP (request for proposal) for companies to foot the bill to install the wireless network covering Houston’s mega square miles. They are also seeking entities outside their pervue to exercise the same options and help build out the miles and miles of wifi, 300-400 feet at a time.
I don’t know the details of the Chicago situation, but it probably emulates the rest; Philidelphia, San Francisco, Houston, and others.
WiMax may be the answer, but as I wrote a few weeks ago, there is no company in the US that has an approved device that will work on the spectrums allowed. The standard was concreted in at the end of last year, but the devices are still elusive.
How will this all play out? Stay tuned and I will keep you up to date.
Topics: Business, Technology, WiFi |