"Hurricane-ravaged New Orleans will deploy the nation's first municipally owned wireless Internet system that will be free for all users, part of an effort to jump-start recovery by making living and doing business in the city as attractive as possible."
I'll bet you $10 this will be blocked by some big teleco. Seems like cities are never serious when they raise these plans (which many many have) and it's just a way to beat concessions out of the cellular carriers. Like "you better get full coverage up fast or we're going to install free municipal wireless!" But then they never do. It would be so great if it happened though.
I'm skeptical too, but in any case, there beau coup hotspots here and this is the best internet connection I've ever had in New Orleans, parking in my truck a few blocks from home.
Reading a little more on this I see that there is *already* a deal (pre Katrina) in place that prohibits NO from providing municipal wireless at speeds greater than 128 KB/s. Why NO would have ever made such a deal beyond me. Anyway, they are supposedly going to turn it on at 512 KB/s, but only until the state of emergency is over, and then they'll have to dial it back to 128 KB/s or just take it down.
I'd really like to know what the city got for making that deal. "We promise never to provide a quality service to our residents that in any way makes it harder for large corporations to gouge those same residents for said service." What's that worth? Like a 10K campaign donation?
Right, I'm just hoping it doesn't interfere with existing signals from non municipal sources.
There are several channels available. One would hope that people can play nicely together. Systems are not necessarily automatic about using clear channels. I had problems in Boulder Creek when someone moved in and started using MY channel. Bastard.
Sorry we're not going to see you in NY.
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- dave 11-29-2005 4:11 pm
I'll bet you $10 this will be blocked by some big teleco. Seems like cities are never serious when they raise these plans (which many many have) and it's just a way to beat concessions out of the cellular carriers. Like "you better get full coverage up fast or we're going to install free municipal wireless!" But then they never do. It would be so great if it happened though.
- jim 11-29-2005 8:49 pm [add a comment]
I'm skeptical too, but in any case, there beau coup hotspots here and this is the best internet connection I've ever had in New Orleans, parking in my truck a few blocks from home.
- jimlouis 11-30-2005 2:46 am [add a comment]
Reading a little more on this I see that there is *already* a deal (pre Katrina) in place that prohibits NO from providing municipal wireless at speeds greater than 128 KB/s. Why NO would have ever made such a deal beyond me. Anyway, they are supposedly going to turn it on at 512 KB/s, but only until the state of emergency is over, and then they'll have to dial it back to 128 KB/s or just take it down.
I'd really like to know what the city got for making that deal. "We promise never to provide a quality service to our residents that in any way makes it harder for large corporations to gouge those same residents for said service." What's that worth? Like a 10K campaign donation?
- jim 11-30-2005 8:22 pm [add a comment]
Right, I'm just hoping it doesn't interfere with existing signals from non municipal sources.
- jimlouis 12-01-2005 12:42 am [add a comment]
There are several channels available. One would hope that people can play nicely together. Systems are not necessarily automatic about using clear channels. I had problems in Boulder Creek when someone moved in and started using MY channel. Bastard.
- mark 12-01-2005 12:45 am [add a comment]
Sorry we're not going to see you in NY.
- jimlouis 12-01-2005 12:56 am [add a comment]