Why Citywide Wi-Fi Doesn't Fly

Figures show low use of municipal wireless
By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 4, 2007 2:15 PM CDT

As plans for free municipal Wi-Fi ran aground last week in San Francisco, Chicago, and St. Louis, Wired investigates why the egalitarian dream of all-pervasive wireless has failed to take hold. All to blame: the high cost of infrastructure, difficult public-private partnerships, and, above all, low consumer interest.

Planners had wrongly assumed advertising could pay for Wi-Fi. They had grossly underestimated the number of transmitters needed, while overestimating city-dwellers' participation at about 25%. The actual figure turned out to be closer to 1-2%. Lesson learned? "Consumers are a weak play for muni wireless," says one analyst. "They're expensive to get, and more expensive to keep." (More wireless stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X