Undoubtedly, this won't sit well with Comcast, the leading provider of high-speed, always-on Internet access via cable modemss; they're headquartered in Philadelphia.
The big question is why so many cities, large and small, are proposing such city-wide, municipally funded (or actively assisted) Wi-Fi Networks?
One answer I have is that increasingly, high(er)-speed, always-on Internet access is widely viewed as an economic development issue and a quality of life issue.
Another answer, that I've been saying since beginning to write about Broadband Wireless Internet Access in 1997, is that wireless is often a better, cheaper, faster way to provide high-speed, always-on Internet access. Comcast spends tens and hundreds of millions of dollars building and maintaining sophisticated wired networks to provide video entertainment and high-speed, always-on Internet access. Philadelphia proposes to spend US$10MM, and $1.5MM year ongoing to build its citywide Wi-Fi system.
Associated Press story
Update - Text of (good!) Wall Street Journal story on the proposed Philadelphia Wi-Fi Network.
Steve Stroh
Copyright © 2004-2005 by Steve Stroh. This article originally appeared on Corante / Broadband Wireless Internet Access.