New Orleans Announces Wi-Fi Network

City officials from New Orleans have announced plans to deploy a wireless network covering the entire city by the end of 2006. The network will provide improved communication for city services, including fire and police departments, and–the city hopes–will draw residents and businesses back to the city following this year’s disastrous hurricane season. When complete, the network will provide free Internet access to anyone in the city. Unlike several other municipal networks under development, the New Orleans network will be installed and operated by the city itself. Still, city officials must grapple with a state law that restricts Internet access speeds on municipal networks. Unless the city is able to change the law or win an exemption, it will only be allowed to offer transfer speeds of 144 Kbps. Representatives of cable and phone companies that offer Internet access have argued that cities should not be allowed to offer services that compete with services from private companies. City officials reject that notion, arguing that commercial Internet access is too expensive and inconvenient for many potential users.

Silicon.com, 30 November 2005