Wireless Tech Chat

I’ve been swimming against the tide by saying that despite many concerns about municipal WiFi, mainly because the business model has yet to be truly defined, that the concept will survive and eventually thrive. Now I’m not so sure.

Chicago city officials are shelving plans to build a citywide wireless network after negotiations with EarthLink and AT&T, the two suitors for the bid, failed to materialize into a finalized contract. At the time when the city’s intentions to build a network were annnounced early last year, it looked like the Second City was going about it the right way. They issued a nearly flawless RFP document that lined out in specifics what was expected from the network, what the winning bidder would be responsible for, and what the city would do and could provide to help the process move forward. Everything looked good, and many of us who blogged about it thought this network would be the industry standard.

Cut to August 2007, and things have changed drastically. Chicago specifically pointed out to its suitors that the city would not lay out any funds to build the network, plus it would not commit to being an anchor tenant, either. As a result, the parties have backed away from the table, and a citywide wireless network is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

Plus, as the linked article suggests, the price of Internet access is coming down, especially with cable companies offering triple play packages (cable TV, phone, Internet) for less than $100 a month, and it is proving to be a winning combination in more and more households. In addition, free public WiFi access is becoming more prevalent, especially in the bigger cities, so the scramble to get into the muni WiFi game is waning, at least for the time being.

Things could certainly change, however, for Chicago and other cities big, medium, and small once somebody comes up with a business model that nearly everyone can live with. What probably needs to happen is that a meeting of some of the execs of the major muni WiFi players–EarthLink, MetroFi, ePath Communications, etc.–as well as industry gurus like Craig Settles should take place and they work to hammer out a business template that all parties can agree upon and enact.

Something like that needs to happen, or muni WiFi’s slide into oblivion will come about sooner than any of us ever expected.

[Via Chicago Tribune]

With the recent announcement of Long Island’s Suffolk and Nassau counties awarding their muni WiFi project to e-Path Communications comes the serious thinking about what this network will do for residents and businesses.

At this point, officials from both counties are looking at ways to leverage the wireless network, with thoughts ranging from data being sent from electric meters through a router to the utility, wireless surveillance cameras being monitored by local and county police officers, and various government services being completed by workers while away from their offices.

As we’ve discussed here before, the muni WiFi concept has been taking its fair share of hits lately, and it might be wise for the Long Island project to find usage in the aforementioned areas before network supporters begin making their pitches to the consumer sector. Plus, with Long Island being such a large area and one of the most heavily taxed areas in the U.S., the time to start talking about user fees may be in the future. However, the project is expected to cost around $150 million, so it will be important to have both county governments and larger institutions (universities, hospitals, etc.) get on-board as paying anchor tenants so the project isn’t left wanting for funds as build-out progresses.

It’s not going to be an easy sell, but we are definitely in the midst of a paradigm shift in the muni WiFi world, and relying on just the “coolness factor” of the technology is not going to cut it anymore.

[Via Newsday]

Trenton, New Jersey, the state’s capitol, is looking at possibly developing and deploying a citywide wireless network.

After issuing an RFP back in the spring, the only company that responded to its specs was e-Path Communications of Tampa, Florida. At this point, the city and the company are working out details on how the plan could be accomplished.

It would be interesting to find out if any other companies responded to the RFP and, if so, what excluded them from being considered. There is talk of issuing another RFP to gain further interest, but whether that idea gets off the ground remains to be seen.

Although New Jersey’s capitol city, Trenton continues to have its share of problems, including economic issues as well as a high crime rate. However, city officials believe that a wireless network could be leveraged by the police department for surveillance as well as accessing data while on patrol.

In addition, e-Path would likely look for the city to be an anchor tenant and have government workers use the network to streamline services. E-Path offers a basic wireless network service for users at about $20 a month, but because Trenton has more than its fair share of economically challenged residents, some sort of tiered-service platform would most definitely have to be worked out.

[Via NJ.com]

One of the more exciting areas that wireless technology has found increasing usage is in the hospital setting, where wireless network access, VoIP telephony, and devices and applications used to treat and care for patients.

Facilities such as Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago are leveraging wireless technology such as in portable heart monitors to keep tabs on patients at all times while allowing them the ability to leave their rooms and move around the building, with the permission of their caregivers.

In addition, patients, caregivers, and visitors are better able to access the Internet wirelessly to view information and, in the case of patients, allow them to occupy their time a little more productively than staring at the ceiling or at the television in their rooms. Plus, doctors and other hospital staff can use their PDAs and other monitoring devices anywhere within the building, which gives them the flexibility to access information and respond at any time.

Of course, this technology does not come cheaply, but hospitals will have to adapt in order to better care for their patients.

[Via PCWorld]

The last few months haven’t been very good ones for the citywide wireless network sector. The problems with San Francisco’s network, as well as those reported from Milwaukee, St. Petersburg, Florida, and Yuma, Arizona, among others, have led to skepticism and second-guessing by governmental officials, technology insiders, and the general public as to whether muni WiFi is really all that it was supposed to be.

Now we learn that the test programs taking place in two Hartford, Connecticut neighborhoods–Bushnell Park and Blue Hills–have been suffering from a lack of consistent connectivity as well as an inflating budget. To address these connectivity problems, more nodes are being placed around the Bushnell Park neighborhood, but that is helping to significantly increase the cost of the pilot program to over its original $1 million budget.

Added to that is the expected amount of network users has not been very high (822 in July out of 6,000 unique accounts established), so it appears that Mayor Eddie Perez as well as other network supporters will have to do a better job of marketing the free network to the existing users as well as potential ones in order for it to grow.

In addition, questions are being raised as to how the network will be maintained without a defined source of revenue, so again, the issue of charging users on a monthly basis and not relying solely on advertising and sponsorhips must be broached and resolved quickly or else this network will fizzle out.

[Via Hartford Business.com]

It looks like the citywide wireless network being planned for the city of Yuma, Arizona is undergoing some further delays.

What’s causing the delay is that the company contracted to develop and deploy the network, Kite Networks, is undergoing a change in corporate ownership, and the changeover is wreaking havoc on the scheduled launch of the network. Kite, originally owned by muni WiFi stalwart MobilePro Corp., is being bought by Gobility Inc., and like most company changeovers, projects are left in flux for at least a little while until the dust settles and processes and people can get back to work.

However, this is not of any benefit to Yuma, which originally believed their network would be up and running in May. Back then, Kite said it was having problems negotiating leases to place access points on private buildings, so the launch date was pushed to September.

Now, with all of this corporate stuff going on, the Yuma network will likely be delayed even further, which certainly will not make local officials and the potential user base happy. While this shouldn’t be looked upon as an indictment of the muni WiFi concept, it wouldn’t be a stretch to believe that other cities looking to jump in the fray may have second thoughts, especially if vendors are susceptible to being bought and sold at a moment’s notice.

[Via Yuma Sun]

Interesting story in BusinessWeek regarding the recent difficulties surrounding the development and deployment of citywide wireless networks. After a flurry of activity in 2005 and 2006, it seems in 2007 that muni WiFi has seen more than its fair share of criticisms and second thoughts from city officials, technology insiders, and business experts waxing on as to whether a wireless network actually will do the things it says it will do, mainly “bridging the digital divide” among residents and bringing economic opportunity to their respective business communities.

It goes without saying that muni WiFi has undergone some difficulties recently, but I think there’s too much emphasis on what has been taking place in San Francisco and critics are trying to expand it to the rest of the country and the concept of citywide wireless in general.

Let’s face it, I and many others have written in the past that the business model of building a free network and relying solely on advertising and sponsorships just doesn’t work. The only way these networks will have a chance of succeeding is having a local government and its various divisions sign on as anchor tenants and then offering wireless services to businesses and residents in a fee-based, tiered system. Sure, you probably will have advertisers on the network, but studies have shown that wireless networks will not survive living on advertising alone.

Plus, more than anything else, vendors and local governments have to do a better job of educating the public on what a wireless network can and cannot do for its users. As I’ve said before and will say again, this “if we build it, they will come” mentality has to end–the “coolness factor” is leveling off and now we have to get down to business and figure out what a wireless network will mean to users, whether they be everyday web surfers, business types, or government employees.

One last thought–the telcos, who have and will continue to fight very hard against wireless networks, are moving away from lobbying governments to keep them from authorizing studies and or vendors from coming in and pitching their services. Now, they are going out of their way to offer broadband services that are competing with the likes of EarthLink, MetroFi, and so on. This is not to say that what they offer is better, but we all want freedom of choice, and in the end, the user should win out.

[Via BusinessWeek]

A number of towns and municipalities throughout the state of Georgia are applying for grants from the Wireless Communities Georgia program in order to built wireless networks for their residents. In 2006, the state awarded $4 million in grants to six local governments, and it appears the state will equal that total, if not exceed it.

To be eligible for a grant, a community must offer a business plan that details how they will partner with a vendor in order to provide service to potential users. Gov. Sonny Perdue has long been a proponent of increasing broadband services to the public, and it appears this program has seen success.

This is the type of program/example that will further the advancement of muni WiFi, especially to the smaller communities throughout the country that would need a little help from the government to help push their initiatives along.

[Via Savannah Morning News]

First it was San Francisco dealing with problems regarding its planned citywide wireless network. You can now add Milwaukee to the list.

It seems that Midwest Fiber Networks, the company awarded the contract to build the network, says its test section in an area near downtown Milwaukee has been suffering from a number of problems with connectivity and equipment. About 50 people have been testing the network, and some are saying it works well, while others say it isn’t.

All of this means that the promised launch of the network to the entire city will likely not happen early next year, and it also will mean that Midwest Fiber will have to work extra hard to get their equipment to run correctly, which means extra time in building the network, which means extra costs to be incurred.

In other words, Milwaukee’s wireless network is teetering on the edge. Plus, added to the mix is the fact that Midwest Fiber had some problems with meeting deadlines before this all took place, and city officials could be soon looking for an alternative, mainly another vendor to come in and take over the project.

In any case, Midwest Fiber has to step up to the plate real soon, or they will risk losing out on a potentially lucrative network, and Milwaukee’s wireless network will be shoved to the back of the line in the list of the city’s priorities.

[Via Today'sTMJ4.com]

I ran across this article the other day about T-Mobile’s HotSpot @Home service, which basically allows you to use both cellular network and WiFi connections with a compatible cellphone. The inference is that if you purchase this service, you could very will likely get rid of your landline phone.

That got me to thinking that with all the advances of cellphones over the past couple of years, and with the availability of WiFi-enabled phones as well as VoIP service through your computer, has the time come for us to ditch our traditional landline phones that we have relied on since the beginning of time?

If you asked me this question even a year ago, I would have told you no, it’s not time yet. I didn’t trust that my cellular service would be available in every nook and cranny I go, and that WiFi and VoIP service can be spotty more times than I liked to see.

However, my thinking has changed. I’m an AT&T customer (formerly Cingular), and I don’t travel as much for business as I used to, but I haven’t had any troubles getting a signal for quite a while now. (I’m sure AT&T is happy to hear that, but let’s not throw them a parade, either!)

In addition, I have a Skype account, which I don’t use that often, but it is available to me at any time I want to use it, and I haven’t experienced much difficulty with it. Of course, VoIP still has a ways to go in terms of consistent connectivity, but it’s much better than it was a year ago. And let’s not forget WiFi-enabled phones, which are getting increasingly popular and their designs, once clunky, are now getting more sleek and streamlined.

Plus, let’s not forget the most important factor–cost. Traditional phone service is still costly, and we all know you can get a good cellular service plan at an affordable price. In addition, there’s the issue of portability–you literally can carry your home phone with you at all times anywhere you want. You can now do away with multiple phones and multiple phone bills and so on.

So, the time may be right for me and others who think alike to get rid of our landline phones. Yes, you get better call quality with a landline phone, and we did grow up with them and are used to them, but it could be time to change. I’m still wrestling with the decision, but I am moving ever closer to ripping the phone off the wall and replacing it with a picture.

How about you?

[Via Tennessean.com]

Salt Lake City, Utah is a burgeoning business center, and a number of locations including its libraries, public squares, and a portion of the downtown area are now hooked up with WiFi service.

The hotspots are free for now, but there could be room for a proposal for a citywide wireless network that will be paid for by users. However, for the time being, it looks like the city is taking a “wait-and-see” approach in order to determine if the user base will continue to grow over time.

Right now, a small ISP is making these wireless services available, but it remains to be seen if this company can expand its capabilities on a much grander scale, ie, the entire city. On the other hand, if a local vendor can satsify all the requirements that an RFP specifies, then they should receive all consideration.

[Via Salt Lake Tribune]

Although WiMax technology has made some serious in-roads over the past few months, it still will be a while before it overtakes WiFi.

According to an In-Stat study, one of the main reasons why WiFi will remain the big man on campus for the foresseable future is that there are hundreds of millions of devices in existence that have WiFi technology embedded in them, and both the business and personal wireless market sectors will not be so apt to change so quickly, no matter how much better WiMax is either perceived or proven to be.

In addition, WiMax equipment is priced about the same or a little higher than WiFi, so economically there is no incentive to switch. Of course, once the technology sees any mass deployments, that will certainly change. Plus, WiMax’s range dwarves WiFi’s, but let’s see it work consistently in a metropolitan setting before the WiFi equipment is ditched.

But let’s not be naive–WiMax will enter the marketplace on a wide scale soon, and we then can assess (or re-assess) it’s impact.

[Via Washington Post]

The San Jose Mercury News today published two simple paragraphs detailing the differences between two cities–Corpus Christi, Texas and Portland, Oregon–in how they each deployed a citywide wireless network.

We’re not talking huge, complicated charts highlighting various aspects of each network–like I said, two simple paragraphs. However, after reading them, there’s a lot of information you can glean from them that will give you some idea of what is happening in the sector and what the future may hold.

In Corpus Christi, the approach was to utilize a wireless network for city services, such as monitoring gas and water meters, and the automating of data collection. After about a year, city workers were leveraging it to conduct tasks such as code enforcement and public works projects. Earlier this summer, EarthLink took over management of the network, and the goal is to expand its reach to city residents.

In Portland, MetroFi launched a free, advertising-supported network, but coverage has been spotty and usage is nowhere near what supporters thought it would be (11,200 users as of May 2007).

By looking at these two models, one would assume that the Corpus Christi approach is hands-down the more accomplished network–they rolled it out to city services to see whether it would really streamline things and be useful. You would be right in saying that, but not all municipalities are displaying the kind of “patience” that Corpus Christi displayed.

Cities like Portland and many others have leaped onto the muni WiFi bandwagon because supporters believed it was the right thing to do and would push their respective municipalities to the forefront of the technology curve. Plus, the concept of giving people another option for accessing the internet was too great to pass up.

These people are also “right”, but like what San Francisco is currently experiencing, city governments are looking for a return on their investment and the expectations of the citizenry are climibing higher, so if an ISP that gets a contract to develop and deploy a citywide network DOES NOT meet those expectations, it’s muni WiFi that takes the brunt of the hit.

It’s amazing how much you can glean from so few words…

[Via San Jose Mercury News]

The proposed wireless network for the city of San Francisco continues to suffer from delays due to endless debate between the Board of Supervisors, EarthLink and Google, and Mayor Gavin Newsom.

With the strategy of pushing the city’s supervisors to make a decision on whether to implement EarthLink and Google’s plan, Mayor Newsom has placed a ballot measure to be voted on in November by the city’s registered voters. The measure is a non-binding resolution, but Newsom is hoping that it will gain widespread support and force the supervisors’ hand.

At this point, this is as good a move as any. This network proposal has literally been dying on the vine, and it’s about time that someone steps up to the plate and get this moving forward or rejected. The people should make the ultimate decision, not a bunch of bureaucrats who hide behind amendments and closed doors.

[Via KCBS.com]

American Airlines says it will launch an in-flight WiFi service within the next two years. The carrier just signed an agreement with AirCell to provide passengers with 801.11a/b/g broadband connectivity within its aircraft.

Testing is set to begin next year, but no specific date as to when the service will go live has been extablished.

The service will be offered on a pay-per-use model. JetBlue is about to offer a similar service, so it could be that airlines are investigating whether in-flight WiFi will provide a steady revenue stream. The Connexion by Boeing system was shut down a while back, so time will tell if WiFi on a plane will succeed.

[Via Mobilemag]