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-------------------------------------------------Firsr some background connections:
Community Wi-Fi Goes Big
Philadelphia is only the biggest city to tackle the concept of Wi-Fi from edge to edge. Many other communities--from Spokane to St. Cloud--are doing the same thing. Telecom providers are not happy, and the battles are raging. Our coverage of the burgeoning municipal Wi-Fi battleground includes an update on which cities are doing what, a look at plans for the entire country of India to be wired for Wi-Fi in two years, and our entire Municipal Wi-Fi special report.
Community Wi-Fi Update: http://ct.eletters.whatsnewnow.com/rd/cts?d=181-446-1-278-1065929-21136-0-0-0-1
India: One Big Wi-Fi HotSpot:
http://ct.eletters.whatsnewnow.com/rd/cts?d=181-446-1-278-1065929-21139-0-0-0-1
Municipal Wi-Fi Special Report: http://ct.eletters.whatsnewnow.com/rd/cts?d=181-446-1-278-1065929-21142-0-0-0-1
Selected comments from stories:
"Free or discounted wireless service can spur economic development,improve police patrols and other city services and encourage Internet use in poorer neighborhoods...."
"Some cities, including Spokane, Washington, found they could easily set up wireless service when they upgrade their emergency communications networks with a little help from the Homeland Security Department. The federal department awarded $925 million last year for communications."
"India's Dishnet Wireless Ltd. said on Wednesday it aims to dominate the nascent WiFi mobile Internet market by rolling out nationwide service in two years. Dishnet will use WiMax base stations to link WiFi "hot spots,"...."
Questions re St. Paul: If we wait for Minneapolis to implement its WiFi - WiMax network, will St. Paul position itself away from the bleeding edge of technology and nearer the crying edge of a left-behind city? This raises the question of a vision for St. Paul as a leader rather than a me-tee wanabee tagalong. Do we in St. Paul want to be leaders in developing a modern 21st centrury city or do we want to become a charming backwater gentrified bedroom city for Minneapolis? And our competition is not only local, regional, or national. It is also internationa (See article on India)l. Finally, how do we tie in the St. Paul educational system for both kids and adults to such a system so that the city as a whole will benefit, not just the technically competent?
Mike Schoenberg MacGroveland
Jon Kerr wrote:
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So has anyone heard any of our mayoral candidates take a position on this issue? As this debate suggests, it seems to be important both as an infrastructure / economic development issue and as a matter of government's role in providing for social well-being. Jon Kerr ------------------------------------------------- JOIN the St. Paul Issues Forum TODAY: http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/ ------------------------------------------------- POST MESSAGES HERE: stpaul@mnforum.org
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