Friday 5/19 there was a hearing on Privacy, Digital Inclusion, Lack of Needs Assessment and Business Plan
Click here to watch the video stream (it also provides an option to download the audio as an MP3 too), select the 5/19/06 meeting (WMF) http://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=16 (Below are two reports on the meeting - other aspects not addressed in the summary include - significant complaints about the lack of a Needs Assessment and Business Plan BEFORE the RFP, which would have addressed many of the issues that are now arising including the lack of a clear Digital Inclusion plan, minimal privacy standards or disaster tolerance requirements. Also the Fiber Study mentioned is long delayed -and even last month DTIS was saying it would be complete in 4 months - now this month, they are again saying it has not begun and it will still be 4 months. Also there is talk about doing a WiFi proof of concept - that is good, but Pilots of the technology should be done before a contract is signed - SF is requiring 90% indoor coverage in exchange for access to city property - this is a much higher bar than other Muni WiFi initiatives And why weren't the Vendors required to provide a Proof of Concept during the RFP??? - Kimo) http://www.cio.com/blog_view.html?CID=21339 May 22, 2006 San Francisco to Push Google on Privacy MAY 22, 2006 02:52:44 PM | Add Comment <javascript:createWindow('http://www.cio.com/comment_list_popup.html?ID=21339')> (0) | Permalink <http://www.cio.com/blog_view.html?CID=21339> San Francisco will push Google and EarthLink for greater privacy protections than the companies outlined in their proposal for a citywide wireless Internet service, officials said Friday. In negotiations with the companies, expected to begin soon, the city will seek an "opt-in" system for users to share personal information, notification of users when there are legal requests for their information and a commitment from the operators on how long they will keep user data they collect, said Brian Roberts, a senior policy analyst for the city's Policy, Planning and Compliance Division. He spoke at the latest hearing by the Local Agency Formation Committee, a utilities oversight body for the combined City and County of San Francisco. In a letter to the city last month, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and two other groups slammed the Google-EarthLink plan for lacking those commitments and others. Privacy is a central concern among critics of Google and EarthLink's citywide network plan, which would include a free 300K bps (bit-per-second) service supported by targeted advertising in addition to a faster paid service. Although it will push for those three conditions, the city wouldn't commit itself to demanding them outright while negotiating a contract. It's risky for the city to reveal what it considers non-negotiable, because the vendors don't have to reveal the same information, Roberts said. The EFF hopes the city will make its privacy criteria less negotiable rather than more, said Seth Schoen, staff technologist at EFF. County Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi gave a similar view and raised the specter of the city changing direction. "I don't know what the bottom line is for us in the city," Mirkarimi said. "What is an acceptable standard? When ... do we decide that that's not an acceptable agreement and that an RFP [request for proposals] potentially should be provided for a municipally owned system?" The city also appears ready to satisfy critics who had called for a proof-of-concept network before committing itself to a full rollout. Civitium LLC, a wireless consulting firm hired by the city, recommended the deployment of a trial network and the city agreed, said Greg Richardson, a managing partner at Civitium. Mirkarimi also continued to call for more consideration of municipal ownership, possibly as a second alternative if the city can't reach an agreement with Google/EarthLink. Meanwhile, the city may someday offer broadband over fiber, according to Roberts. As part of a study of its optical fiber infrastructure, the city will consider deploying fiber to every home in San Francisco, a technology concept that has raised eyebrows for its enormous cost even when proposed by giant Verizon Communications. The city has 42 miles of fiber for uses such as public safety, and Roberts estimated it would take 800 miles to reach all homes and businesses. Because a fiber network involves massive infrastructure work and fixed assets, and doesn't need to be upgraded often as a wireless network does, it's more suited to city ownership, Roberts said. The study, expected to begin in about two weeks, would take about four months, he said. -Stephen Lawson, IDG News Service (This below covers additional details of the meeting even though it was written before it occured) San Francisco Wi-Fi Plan to Face More Heat MAY 22, 2006 08:31:40 AM | Add Comment <javascript:createWindow('http://www.cio.com/comment_list_popup.html?ID=21318')> (0) | Permalink <http://www.cio.com/blog_view.html?CID=21318> Privacy advocates and activists for digital inclusion were set to raise alarms about San Francisco's proposed wireless broadband service at a hearing Friday afternoon before a city oversight body. The winning proposal for the citywide network, made by Google and EarthLink, would allow for invasion of users' privacy and doesn't include any funding to help make digital technology and the Internet accessible to lower-income people, critics have charged. The companies still need to negotiate a final contract with the city, and the activists aim to affect what goes into that deal-or make the city change course and adopt a municipally owned network. The city sought proposals last year for a wireless network that would reach most of the city for outdoor and some indoor use. Google and EarthLink's response called for a free 300Kbps service supported by location-based advertising and a faster paid service. In early April, it was the plan picked to go forward into contract negotiations. At a hearing last month before the Local Agency Formation Commission, an oversight body for the combined city and county of San Francisco, city activists and other speakers raised concerns about a lack of public input and the technical effectiveness of the design. The group put off talk about privacy and inclusion until Friday's meeting in order to have enough time for input. Privacy concerns have been raised since last year by the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Electronic Privacy Information Center, whose worries weren't eased by the city's choice of Google and EarthLink. The companies' plan scored low when the groups measured privacy aspects of all the proposed systems. In an April 19 letter to the city, the groups charged that users of the free service will have to give an e-mail address and sign in for every session, which would allow Google and EarthLink to track individual users over time. Google has committed to keeping user information for only 180 days or less, but EarthLink has not, they said. The groups want both vendors to commit to a data-retention schedule. In addition, both companies would make users "opt out" of letting the companies sell information about them. The groups want them to use an "opt-in" system instead. They also said the city should demand Google and EarthLink agree to fair procedures for answering requests for user information by law enforcement and others, and keep tight controls on public video-surveillance systems that are proposed to be connected to the network. Advocates of closing the "digital divide" will also raise issues Friday that they think should be included in the negotiations, said Sydney Levy, program director at Media Alliance in nearby Oakland, Calif., who will be speaking at the hearing. Media Alliance and other groups want commitments to future upgrades to the 300Kbps free service as technology advances, as well as funding for computers, training and ways to provide local information within neighborhoods. "There's no point in talking about it later; we need to talk while or before they negotiate," Levy said. "Up until now, it's been very frustrating." Representatives of Google and the city were not immediately available for comment. "Now's the time for these groups to state their concerns and have the folks that we're going to negotiate with bring these issues up," said EarthLink spokesman Jerry Grasso. Negotiations have not yet begun, he added. -Stephen Lawson, IDG News Service <http://xpostmail.com/7a5a3daf5cdc925ca2f0b8b6b74eb4fbworker.jpg> <http://xpostmail.com/6b93cec9ffd5f8e584fe1a43dde0f2f3worker.jpg> <http://xpostmail.com/e4c1bc8d09fd32537eb30897f879faf1worker.jpg> <http://xpostmail.com/881d14c440f87f199652617a496dcd3fworker.jpg> Eric, the Addidas consultant is Greg Richardson, head of Civitium.com Also there are serious questions about the ability for an outdoor Municipal WiFi solution to work well indoors above the 2nd floor and in interior rooms ________________________________ From: Kimo Crossman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 2006 May 22 14:05 To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]' Subject: SF Techconnect Muni WiFi Franchise: 5/19 hearing now online and Analysis - hearing on Privacy, Digital Inclusion, (Lack of) Needs Assessment and Business Plan, indoor coverage, interference, Fiber? Friday 5/19 there was a hearing on Privacy, Digital Inclusion, Lack of Needs Assessment and Business Plan Click here to watch the video stream (it also provides an option to download the audio as an MP3 too), select the 5/19/06 meeting (WMF) http://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=16 (Below are two reports on the meeting - other aspects not addressed in the summary include - significant complaints about the lack of a Needs Assessment and Business Plan BEFORE the RFP, which would have addressed many of the issues that are now arising including the lack of a clear Digital Inclusion plan, minimal privacy standards or disaster tolerance requirements. Also the Fiber Study mentioned is long delayed -and even last month DTIS was saying it would be complete in 4 months - now this month, they are again saying it has not begun and it will still be 4 months. Also there is talk about doing a WiFi proof of concept - that is good, but Pilots of the technology should be done before a contract is signed - SF is requiring 90% indoor coverage in exchange for access to city property - this is a much higher bar than other Muni WiFi initiatives And why weren't the Vendors required to provide a Proof of Concept during the RFP??? - Kimo) http://www.cio.com/blog_view.html?CID=21339 May 22, 2006 San Francisco to Push Google on Privacy MAY 22, 2006 02:52:44 PM | Add Comment <javascript:createWindow('http://www.cio.com/comment_list_popup.html?ID=21339')> (0) | Permalink <http://www.cio.com/blog_view.html?CID=21339> San Francisco will push Google and EarthLink for greater privacy protections than the companies outlined in their proposal for a citywide wireless Internet service, officials said Friday. In negotiations with the companies, expected to begin soon, the city will seek an "opt-in" system for users to share personal information, notification of users when there are legal requests for their information and a commitment from the operators on how long they will keep user data they collect, said Brian Roberts, a senior policy analyst for the city's Policy, Planning and Compliance Division. He spoke at the latest hearing by the Local Agency Formation Committee, a utilities oversight body for the combined City and County of San Francisco. In a letter to the city last month, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and two other groups slammed the Google-EarthLink plan for lacking those commitments and others. Privacy is a central concern among critics of Google and EarthLink's citywide network plan, which would include a free 300K bps (bit-per-second) service supported by targeted advertising in addition to a faster paid service. Although it will push for those three conditions, the city wouldn't commit itself to demanding them outright while negotiating a contract. It's risky for the city to reveal what it considers non-negotiable, because the vendors don't have to reveal the same information, Roberts said. The EFF hopes the city will make its privacy criteria less negotiable rather than more, said Seth Schoen, staff technologist at EFF. County Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi gave a similar view and raised the specter of the city changing direction. "I don't know what the bottom line is for us in the city," Mirkarimi said. "What is an acceptable standard? When ... do we decide that that's not an acceptable agreement and that an RFP [request for proposals] potentially should be provided for a municipally owned system?" The city also appears ready to satisfy critics who had called for a proof-of-concept network before committing itself to a full rollout. Civitium LLC, a wireless consulting firm hired by the city, recommended the deployment of a trial network and the city agreed, said Greg Richardson, a managing partner at Civitium. Mirkarimi also continued to call for more consideration of municipal ownership, possibly as a second alternative if the city can't reach an agreement with Google/EarthLink. Meanwhile, the city may someday offer broadband over fiber, according to Roberts. As part of a study of its optical fiber infrastructure, the city will consider deploying fiber to every home in San Francisco, a technology concept that has raised eyebrows for its enormous cost even when proposed by giant Verizon Communications. The city has 42 miles of fiber for uses such as public safety, and Roberts estimated it would take 800 miles to reach all homes and businesses. Because a fiber network involves massive infrastructure work and fixed assets, and doesn't need to be upgraded often as a wireless network does, it's more suited to city ownership, Roberts said. The study, expected to begin in about two weeks, would take about four months, he said. -Stephen Lawson, IDG News Service (This below covers additional details of the meeting even though it was written before it occured) San Francisco Wi-Fi Plan to Face More Heat MAY 22, 2006 08:31:40 AM | Add Comment <javascript:createWindow('http://www.cio.com/comment_list_popup.html?ID=21318')> (0) | Permalink <http://www.cio.com/blog_view.html?CID=21318> Privacy advocates and activists for digital inclusion were set to raise alarms about San Francisco's proposed wireless broadband service at a hearing Friday afternoon before a city oversight body. The winning proposal for the citywide network, made by Google and EarthLink, would allow for invasion of users' privacy and doesn't include any funding to help make digital technology and the Internet accessible to lower-income people, critics have charged. The companies still need to negotiate a final contract with the city, and the activists aim to affect what goes into that deal-or make the city change course and adopt a municipally owned network. The city sought proposals last year for a wireless network that would reach most of the city for outdoor and some indoor use. Google and EarthLink's response called for a free 300Kbps service supported by location-based advertising and a faster paid service. In early April, it was the plan picked to go forward into contract negotiations. At a hearing last month before the Local Agency Formation Commission, an oversight body for the combined city and county of San Francisco, city activists and other speakers raised concerns about a lack of public input and the technical effectiveness of the design. The group put off talk about privacy and inclusion until Friday's meeting in order to have enough time for input. Privacy concerns have been raised since last year by the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Electronic Privacy Information Center, whose worries weren't eased by the city's choice of Google and EarthLink. The companies' plan scored low when the groups measured privacy aspects of all the proposed systems. In an April 19 letter to the city, the groups charged that users of the free service will have to give an e-mail address and sign in for every session, which would allow Google and EarthLink to track individual users over time. Google has committed to keeping user information for only 180 days or less, but EarthLink has not, they said. The groups want both vendors to commit to a data-retention schedule. In addition, both companies would make users "opt out" of letting the companies sell information about them. The groups want them to use an "opt-in" system instead. They also said the city should demand Google and EarthLink agree to fair procedures for answering requests for user information by law enforcement and others, and keep tight controls on public video-surveillance systems that are proposed to be connected to the network. Advocates of closing the "digital divide" will also raise issues Friday that they think should be included in the negotiations, said Sydney Levy, program director at Media Alliance in nearby Oakland, Calif., who will be speaking at the hearing. Media Alliance and other groups want commitments to future upgrades to the 300Kbps free service as technology advances, as well as funding for computers, training and ways to provide local information within neighborhoods. "There's no point in talking about it later; we need to talk while or before they negotiate," Levy said. "Up until now, it's been very frustrating." Representatives of Google and the city were not immediately available for comment. "Now's the time for these groups to state their concerns and have the folks that we're going to negotiate with bring these issues up," said EarthLink spokesman Jerry Grasso. Negotiations have not yet begun, he added. -Stephen Lawson, IDG News Service --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ TELECOM-CITIES Current searchable archives (Feb. 1, 2006 to present) at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Old searchble archives at http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
