Wifi Revolution

Municipal Wi-Fi provider MetroFi, in an expected move, has switched down free Wi-Fi service in the city of Portland. They are also closing down some other similar small projects in California and Illinois too. Only last fall MetroFi stated that they will be closing down if no buyers emerged after ceasing expansion of its existing networks.

 

MetroFi is a provider of free wireless Internet access, municipal services, and Internet advertising and has secured agreements with cities across the US to design, build and operate free municipal Wi-Fi networks for residents, visitors and city workers. MetroFi is able to provide free access in these communities through online advertising supported by local and national advertisers.

 

MetroFi offered a price of just under $900,000 for the existing network which covers about 30 percent of the Oregon city and contacted the city’s management on that regard but they were told the city is not interested in paying those sums to complete the network.

 

Portland wireless chief Logan Kleier, who was instrumental in getting the MetroFi deal signed and underway, responded in surprisingly philosophical fashion to the project's end. “It's disappointing but not unexpected," Kleier said in a telephone interview.

 

Many cities across the U.S. have been left with superfluous wireless gear as companies, including EarthLink and MetroFi, are pulling out of their deals to put up networks and they intend to fund through the means of ad sales and marketing agreements. Some cities have threatened to sue the network builders on learning of the pullouts; in Philadelphia, a group of local investors formed a company to acquire and run the Wi-Fi system for the benefit of the city and its economy.

 

Portland Mayor Tom Potter, said Kleier, has taken more of an easy-come easy-go attitude toward the vicissitudes of the wireless business.

 

"I'm happy to see that it accomplished what it has," said Kleier, whose official title is project manager for the city's Bureau of Technology Services, "and that everyone seems to be staying within the parameters that were originally established: the philosophy that the private sector is responsible for the capital risk of building the network."

 

Many analysts feel that these developments have made one decision certain. That the bridging of the digital divide for people of the low income group is not going to happen by not making free or very-low-cost Internet access available.

 

"The city government never made Internet access for all a priority in and of itself," noted Kleier.

 

Other MetroFi projects going dark include Concord, Cupertino, Foster City, San Jose, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale, all in Northern California, Riverside in Southern California and Aurora and Naperville, Illinois. For more information on MetroFi please visit http://www.metrofi.com/

 

 

 

 

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