Big day for muni WiFi as Wireless Philadelphia is about to turn on the switch
The granddaddy of all citywide wireless networks, Wireless Philadelphia, is about to take flight.
The non-profit organization is expected today to EarthLink’s 15-square-mile WiFi Proof of Concept (POC) area/test zone, which will then give EarthLink the go-ahead to build-out the entire network throughout the city with access set to begin later this year. A ceremony will be held today which will be hosted by Mayor John Street.
Obviously, this is a major step for the muni WiFi movement in this country. Wireless Philadelphia has been the standard-bearer for this emerging communications platform before the San Francisco network sort of overshadowed it last year, but delays in getting it started have certainly pushed it aside. Today’s announcement in Philadelphia will be of supreme important to the citywide wireless network movement–as I mentioned in an earlier post, this is put-up-or-shut-up time for muni WiFi, and it will be crucial that this network operates effectively and efficiently when the switch gets turned on for everyone by this fall.
Of course, there have been and will continue to be bumps and bruises along the way, but this is the real deal. There have been other, smaller networks across the country already in place, but this one will hold the key for the future success for citywide wireless. If it fails, then assuredly the entire concept will fail.
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