Mayor White had his chat about the city’s WiFi plans last night.
Mayor White, who is in no danger of setting speed records, nonetheless gamely manned the laptop and personally answered dozens of questions from some of the 650 people who participated in the event.
“When the mayor types, people listen,” Garfield said, adding that the online turnout far exceeded his earlier expectation of a few hundred. “I am pleasantly overwhelmed and surprised.”
Many of the questions dealt with the cost of equipping the city with WiFi – $30 million to $50 million; when the project would be completed – sometime in 2007 or 2008; and how far the network will reach – 600 square miles.
A citywide wireless network is more than just bytes and connectivity, White said.
“We are a massive technology user,” White said of Houston, “but a lot of people don’t think of us that way.” With a wireless network in place, Houston would take in big step in enhancing its image as a tech-savvy town, he said.
“This kind of interactive display,” White said of the online chat, “means that the public is excited to see it happen.”
The city is considering bids from five companies seeking the contract. The bidders include: Earthlink Municipal Networks, Redmoon Broadband Inc., Convergent Broadband, nextWLAN Corporation and Houston Wi Fi Ltd. Company. The company charged with building the network will do so at its own cost, sparing taxpayers. It would then sell the service to users.
Garfield, of course, is Michael The High Tech Texan Garfield, who has a list of the questions asked and a behind the keyboard view of the event. I have to agree with Dwight here – it’d be real nice if someone would post a transcript of the chat, so that those of us who missed it could know the answers to all those questions, too.
Dwight also has background info on the companies that submitted bids to provide the service, plus a link to a spreadsheet from the city that gives contract information and other details. I too wonder how SBC and TimeWarner will respond to this. The issue of municipal WiFi may not have survived the process that led to the passage of telecom legislation last year, but I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t come up again in 2007. There’s too much at stake for it to not get resurrected.
By the way, I’m blogging this from the Orlando airport, where they conveniently provide free WiFi access. See how much more productive we can all be when the Net is widely available?
The issue of municipal WiFi may not have survived the process that led to the passage of telecom legislation last year, but I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t come up again in 2007.
I have my doubts it would kill services already rolled out or in the process of being rolled out, although it could provide guidelines that ensure such networks are truly public-private entities, and not simply cities getting into the free-wifi business.
See how much more productive we can all be when the Net is widely available?
Playing on blogs is productive? I’m a blog addict, but I don’t know that I’d go that far. Maybe the notion that the fine folks in Orlando are helping support your online hobby isn’t the best argument in favor of free wifi in Houston. 🙂
My comment on the blogger’s conference about free wifi for those who travel to our city was couched by others later as a “tourist” comment, but in reality, what I was saying is that as a frequent business traveler, I’ve experienced free wifi in other cities and have loved it, appreciated it and am almost irritated when it’s not available at this point. I think it would be wise for Houston to consider more fully the draw to business travelers to have free or pay-as-you-go options for this group. You proved my point there in the airport.
Playing on blogs is productive? I’m a blog addict, but I don’t know that I’d go that far.
Relax, Kevin, it was just a joke.
FYI, the original text of HB789 from 2005 would have banned any municipality from offering networ services. That provision was altered to allow grandfathering after committee hearings, but I don’t have any faith that this is a settled issue. As I said, there’s too much at stake.