[IP] An Alternative To San Francisco's Wi-Fi Deal

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne@warpspeed.com>
Date: January 30, 2007 8:15:19 AM EST
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <dewayne-net@warpspeed.com>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] An Alternative To San Francisco's Wi-Fi Deal
Reply-To: dewayne@warpspeed.com

AN ALTERNATIVE TO SAN FRANCISCO'S WI-FI DEAL

[SOURCE: San Francisco Chronicle 1/29, AUTHOR: Becca Vargo Daggett,  
Institute for Local Self-Reliance]

	[Commentary] San Francisco Supervisors who would reject the  
Earthlink-Google deal now have an alternative. The central conclusion  
of a recent report from the San Francisco budget analyst is that a  
municipally owned wireless network is fiscally feasible. But equally  
important for the upcoming Board of Supervisors' vote is the report's  
conclusion: that the process leading to the Earthlink-Google deal was  
profoundly flawed. The result of this flawed process is the  
inadequate Earthlink-Google deal, which accomplishes little more than  
the most basic goal of free Internet access. The free service is  
decidedly slow: half the speed of the DSL access AT&T is now required  
to sell for $10 per month, under terms imposed on its acquisition of  
BellSouth, and one-third the speed available for free in neighboring  
communities. The need for a wireless bridge device, to bring the  
outdoor wireless signal indoors, forces low-income households either  
to buy such a device for $80 to $200, or subscribe to the paid  
service at $22 per month. Both these options limit the number of low- 
income individuals who will use the network. The network also limits  
potential competition.

<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/ 
2007/01/29/EDGC7N72CM1.DTL>




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