Cerritos, California to Offer Wireless Web for All

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/internet/12/11/sprj.ws.wifi.city.ap/index.html' target='_blank'>http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/intern...y.ap/index.html</a><br /><br /></div>"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."<br /><br />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?

[Busdriver]

And they wonder why California is bankrupt.

[Korlon]

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?

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)

[Richard OKane]

Same idea in Canada within a city:
http://www.city.fredericton.nb.ca/whatnew/WirelessNov182003.pdf

[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

[Korlon]

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

You're okay with taxes filling your mailbox, but not your inbox?

[anthonymoody]

I'm moving there ;)

[upplepop]

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.

And they wonder why California is bankrupt.
It doesn't cost the city a thing (except some manditory subscriptions):
The city struck a deal with the company that allows Aiirnet to place transmitters throughout the city for free

[ragintajin]

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.

[pstork]

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.

[Tierran]

You're okay with taxes filling your mailbox, but not your inbox?

I think they're jumping the gun. WiMAX is coming soon...this is not an optimal solution and its going to be a government sponsored monopoly. I guess its kinda like your cable options for TV...not much.

I do like lots of WiFi ;) Just not really like this.

[beowolf]

Any thoughts on privacy in a government owned service??
:?

[deich]

Anybody who thinks there's privacy on the internet is crazy. That's squared for wireless. The only "privacy" is that you are buried in a very, very, large sea of data. Just start using certain words frequently in your communications, and see how much privacy you have. Just MHO.

[upplepop]

Any thoughts on privacy in a government owned service??
:?

This service will be owned by Aiirnet, not the government.

And as for privacy, I wouldn't expect much on a Wi-Fi system accessible by 50,000 people!

[peterawest]

What would happen if... you could get unlimited access...?

For the rest of us who don't live in that little town, you might want to stop in at your local Panera Bread.
Panera Bread bakery-cafes offer free Wi-Fi high-speed internet access. So you can have a place to get away from it all while staying connected to it all.
I just visited a Panera Bread bakery-cafe and was surprised to learn about this. Check their web site to see if there is one in your neighborhood:

http://www.panera.com/locations.aspx?WiFi=1