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Municipal Wi-Fi Dreams Persist
Philadelphia, others survive after similar 'Internet everywhere' schemes fail
By Kate Schwartz
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Posted Sep 25, 07 5:44 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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Citywide Wi-Fi isn't a dead horse. Despite the negative press that followed San Francisco's squashed wireless plan, other cities' networks are actually seeing signs of success because they articulated how it will be used and how it will benefit people, reports CNET. Corpus Christi's Wi-Fi initially allowed utility workers to read meters remotely; it now services police and other agencies.
EarthLink, which backed out of the SF plan, provides that service, as it does in Philadelphia, whose Wi-Fi project will provide low-cost broadband service to disadvantaged citizens. Despite reports to the contrary, an ambitious regional network in Silicon Valley is moving forward with plans to offer wireless Net access across four counties, in hopes of boosting economic development.