12-11-2003, 09:00 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Cerritos, California to Offer Wireless Web for All
"The first phase of a project to establish citywide wireless Internet access is slated to begin next month. Ultimately, anyone with a laptop or wireless device will be able to surf the Web from virtually anywhere in the city's 8.6-square-mile (22-square-kilometer) area. Scores of wireless networking transmitters are being placed atop public buildings, traffic lights and other structures to blanket the city. The project is being touted by Aiirnet Wireless, its operator, as the largest wireless networking, or Wi-Fi, deployment in the nation."
Wow. 8O The implications for this are huge - what will it do to ISPs in the area, both dial-up and broadband? What about security if everyone is on the same wireless network? Will people use this for their desktop PCs as well? So many questions, but I applaud the boldness of this move. Taking this a step further, what would happen if your local city decided that Internet access was a public service and you could get unlimited access as part of paying your local taxes?
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12-11-2003, 09:06 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 178
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And they wonder why California is bankrupt.
__________________
"Success flourishes only in perseverance-ceaseless, restless perseverance." - Baron Manfred von Richtofen
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12-11-2003, 09:09 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 53
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Re: Cerritos, California to Offer Wireless Web for All
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
Taking this a step further, what would happen if your local city decided that Internet access was a public service and you could get unlimited access as part of paying your local taxes?
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I'd like to say that's a great idea. Lots of bandwidth at bulk rates, everyone gets cheap access, right? But when you pile the government overhead on top, would we be saving any money? And if you drive commercial providers out, what happens to people outside of the metro network's reach? Putting APs on all of the barns is expensive, and farmland doesn't pack people in as tight, making the tax burden higher... 
But if they could do it right... that would be awesome. 8)
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12-11-2003, 09:14 PM
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12-11-2003, 09:18 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 193
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Terrible idea...kills ISPs and takes away free choice and isn't something that taxes should be paying for anymore than taxes should be paying for anyone's cellphone plan
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12-11-2003, 09:20 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 53
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Tierran
Terrible idea...kills ISPs and takes away free choice and isn't something that taxes should be paying for anymore than taxes should be paying for anyone's cellphone plan
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You're okay with taxes filling your mailbox, but not your inbox?
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12-11-2003, 09:21 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 75
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I'm moving there 
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12-11-2003, 09:33 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 210
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Well, seeing how the goverment provides other services (roads, libaries, police) I don't see anything wrong with providing the Internet as a service as well. The Internet is becoming more and more essential for a person's life. Anyone without an Internet connection is at a serious liability compared to the rest of society.
EDIT: After reading the article, I'm not sure if the service is paid entirely by the city. The article isn't clear, but I get the impression that the citizens will have to pay a $34.95 subscription to be able to access the system.
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Originally Posted by Busdriver
And they wonder why California is bankrupt.
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It doesn't cost the city a thing (except some manditory subscriptions):
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Originally Posted by Article
The city struck a deal with the company that allows Aiirnet to place transmitters throughout the city for free
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12-11-2003, 10:38 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 22
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My house is in Bellflower, which is literaly less than half-a-mile from Cerritos...I'm hoping that I'll be able to get in on that Wi-Fi too.
But anyways, I just wanted to mention that Cerritos is a very rich little town. It has a very large auto-square, which I've heard is one of the fastest selling auto-squares in the nation (not 100% if that's true but I wouldn't doubt it). For the past couple years, Cerritos has been renovating all of its plazas and stores for a more trendy look. Heck, I've even heard they're renovating all of the parks and recreational facilities in the near future.
Now, this is all speculation on my part, but I'd have to guess that the city is paying for most of it. Since they have the money and they're going all out on everything else, it doesn't surprise me that Cerritos is pulling something like this off.
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12-11-2003, 10:54 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 7
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Already underway in Cleveland, OH. Check out http://www.onecleveland.org/about_onecleveland.htm#what I teach at Case Western Reserve University in an area called University Circle, also the home of many of the cities museums and the symphony. Most of these buildings already offer free 802.11b service. More is on the way all the time.
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