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Robert Liu[April 8, 2005]

Philadelphia Unveils Citywide Wireless Business Plan

BY ROBERT LIU


Once again, the nation's birthplace is Philadelphia. This time, it's in the area of wireless communications.

Mayor John F. Street on Thursday announced the details of his "Philadelphia Wireless" initiative to build out a wireless infrastructure based on either the IEEE 802. 11b or 802. 11g standards that would provide open-air Internet access throughout the entire 135 square miles of the city. While the City is positioning the initiative as its effort to bridge the Digital Divide and supply free wireless Internet access in parks and public spaces, it does also clear the way for Philadelphia to open its market to ISPs and telecommunications firms - a potential that could bring a huge windfall to the local municipality.




"This is not just an investment in a new technology, it's an investment in the people of Philadelphia," Mayor Street said yesterday.

To that end, the City also issued a request-for-proposals to begin soliciting bids to procure "turnkey solutions" to build the wireless communications system supporting the following categories: residential and low income fixed and nomadic service; standard business fixed service; educational institutional fixed and nomadic service; premium business service; interim nomadic services; secure private business portability; secure government portability; secure government fixed service.

But despite the boon for business and communities alike, the initiative isn't without its share of detractors. ILECs with Verizon leading the charge as well as industry lobbyists have argued that Wi-Fi isn't suited to support a citywide deployment of this scale.

News of the City's ambitious plans first surfaced at the beginning of this year. Philadelphia began making its wireless technology available at a key thoroughfare called JFK Plaza in June 2004. By May 2005, the city hopes at least a dozen of hotspots will be available for people to login in to use the service, the Mayor's Office said in its press release.

Hotspots have been operated by volunteer organizations, the travel industry, hotel/lodging and restaurant chains since the 802. 11b standard first became commercially available five years ago. But no U. S. government entity has ever attempted an implementation on the size and scope of the City of Philadelphia. As such, many industry observers see it as a litmus test for projects on this scale.


Robert Liu is executive editor at TMCnet.  Previously, he was executive editor at Jupitermedia and has also written for CNN, A&E, Dow Jones and Bloomberg.  He can be reached at [email protected].


 

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