Why can't Dublin follow cities like San Francisco and others in considering a free, or almost free, broadband network? It could be built and rolled out cheaply. I understand that the City Council has recently been approached on the issue by a major network provider. But the Council (a) doesn't get it (b) isn't interested and (c) doesn't think anyone else would care enough for it to be worth its while, according to an executive in the network provider.
Update: Semper Idem has extra background on this, specifically relating to a question put by a Labour councillor to the Dublin City Manager in February. The manager appears to suggest that there's no need because "competition is increasing and on-going reduced charges are evident" within the private sector. Semper Idem also points out that a Fine Gael councillor, Lucinda Creighton, has been pushing a city-wide wi-fi network based on the Boston model.
the government are: I believe it is one of the earmarked initiatives under the InterTradeIreland all island strategy and the ROI GOvernments "Wireless Testbed Strategy", and if it isn't, well doesn't everybody kinda know by now that you test in the field not in the lab?
Posted by: PaulSweeney | July 02, 2006 at 09:22 PM
Any idea as to how much money they were looking for to build this thing?
Posted by: Dick OBrien | July 03, 2006 at 10:11 AM
Paris plans citywide WiFi access
http://www.cbronline.com/article_news.asp?guid=3CD03793-D440-4CA4-B069-0714515EB62F
Posted by: George | July 06, 2006 at 04:37 PM
'it is one of the earmarked initiatives under the InterTradeIreland all-island strategy and the ROI Governments "Wireless Testbed Strategy"'
that could mean anything, though... and "Testbed" isn't exactly action talk.
Posted by: Justin | July 06, 2006 at 07:45 PM
I can understand why councils have no interest in WISP's wanting to build a network that has no other purpose than the provision of broadband at exorbitant prices.
Municipal wireless networks' real benefits lie in the provision of services that benefit the communities that they service and actually give something back.
Also the real value of WiFi (and Wimax) lie in bringing broadband to areas that are currently not serviced, or never will. I am still amazed by the persistence of most WISPS in providing their services in urban areas that are already serviced by xDSL, cable or fibre...
However, watch this space!
Posted by: Evert | July 09, 2006 at 12:06 AM