S.F. keeps pushing citywide Wi-Fi

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Context numbers.: This discussion is beginning to center on whether the WiFi install would be difficult. We need cost numbers for context.

One of the first things I found was that my implication from the article is incorrect; San Francisco is actually not certain whether it will do the installation and maintenance itself or have a partner.

At any rate, the Mayor's current estimate for the project is $10 million to $18 million for the 49 square mile city. That's probably not bad, considering the terrain, and given that Philadelphia's estimate for a 135 square mile city was $15-18 million. Of course, Philadelphia has had difficulty finalizing its process.

The dollars estimated are difficult for the city to provide. In fact, the city will need to find someone to write "a big check" despite Dell's heroic donation of equipment.

And that's only the start. Might be easier if the law to ban municipal WiFi being considered in Washington were passed.

A few fun quotes:

Based on surveys and conversations with cities and vendors, JupiterResearch has come to the conclusion that "the average cost of building and maintaining a municipal wireless network is $150,000 per square mile over five years."

The report goes on to say that about half of the initiatives today to create city or county-backed wireless networks will not even break even, even if they charge end users as much as $25 per month in subscription fees.

July 6, 2005

http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/news/article.php/3518071

The City by the Bay took a big step toward gaining that citywide Wi-Fi service this week by issuing a Request for Information and Comments (RFI/C) about unwiring the 49 square miles south of the Golden Gate.

Mayor Newsom told the San Jose Mercury News that the cost to install the network would likely fall between $10 and $18 million; however, TechConnect's literature says the city is making "no financial commitments at this stage of the process." The hillsides of the city will present a major challenge for vendors looking to deploy something citywide.

August 17, 2005

http://www.internetnews.com/wireless/article.php/3528086

But there?s a hitch: the cash-strapped city will need a lot of money to make the plan a reality. Allocating municipal funds for a wireless broadband initiative will take major convincing.

The price of the project was not disclosed but Mayor Newsom told the San Jose Mercury News it could run between $10 million and $18 million. In a press conference, Mayor Newsom called for ideas from public, private, and non-profit companies.

?We?ll have to find a partner to write a big check,? he said.

http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=13204&hed=San+Francisco%3A+WiFi-by-the-Bay§or=Industries&subsector=Computing; Posted by: Anton Philidor Posted on: 08/18/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use