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Big Easy Launches Free Wireless System
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By Associated Press
November 29, 2005, 1:54 PM EST
NEW ORLEANS -- In an attempt to boost its stalled economy, the
hurricane-ravaged city of New Orleans is starting the nation's
first free wireless Internet network owned and run by a major city.
Mayor Ray Nagin made the announcement at a late morning news
conference.
Similar projects elsewhere have been stalled by stiff opposition
from telephone and cable television companies aimed at
discouraging competition from public agencies.
Nagin said the system started operation Tuesday in the central
Business District and the French Quarter. It is to be available
throughout the city in about a year.
The system uses hardware mounted on street lights to cover the city.
Most of the equipment was donated by three companies: Intel Corp.,
Tropos Networks and Pronto Networks.
The system will operate at 512 kilobits per second as long as the
city remains under a state of emergency.
That will be slowed once the state of emergency is over -- that
date has not been determined -- to 128 kbps in accordance with
state law, which restricts government-owned Internet service.
Copyright (c) 2005, The Associated Press
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