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City of London Switches to Wi-Fi
City of London Switches to Wi-Fi February 21, 2006 7:35AM

The network will allow City workers and visitors with Wi-Fi-enabled devices to access the Internet on streets and in open spaces. Supported applications include high speed Internet access, e-mail, music, video and other entertainment services, and voice over Wi-Fi services.

The City of London today announced plans to install a "dense and comprehensive" Wi-Fi Internet network throughout London's Square Mile. The project is being undertaken by the City in partnership with Wi-Fi firm The Cloud, which will install and manage the network.

Expected to go live in the next few months, with virtually all the City covered within six months, the Wi-Fi network will be installed in existing street furniture including lamp posts and street signs.

The network will allow City workers and visitors with Wi-Fi-enabled devices to access the Internet on streets and in open spaces.

Supported applications include high speed Internet access, e-mail, music, video and other entertainment services, and voice over Wi-Fi services.

The network is also designed to support secure access and private data networks for the emergency services and other public services customers in the City.

Michael Snyder, chairman of the City of London's Policy Committee, said: "City workers and visitors will be able to use wireless broadband to work more efficiently and to stay in touch with their office via handheld devices while on the move.

"The City is a fast moving and dynamic environment and we are responding to the increasing time pressures faced by City workers by providing the technology for them to stay up to date wherever they are in the City."

George Polk, chief executive at The Cloud, added: "Corporate users are increasingly turning to Wi-Fi for a range of services, including converged voice services.

"We have strong demand from existing customers for coverage in high density and high profile locations like the City of London, and we expect this trend to continue."

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thats definitely a positive move... allowing people to surf wireless from anywhere on the streets!

I've been hearing rumors that South Beach is planning on doing the same thing down here in Miami. That would be really nice, especially if you lived there and didn't have to pay for internet.

Minneapolis just gave the go-ahead for a proposed citywide wireless network. EarthLink and U.S. Internet are the leading candidates to do the job at an estimates cost of $20 to $25 million. "Go-Live date": 2007

Tempe AZ, Philly PA and Cincinnati OH also all starting Muni Wi-Fi projects...

Add Anaheim, California to the list (location of Disneyland). The entire 50 square miles will have service from Earthlink when the project is complete. They've completed 6 square miles as of today with the rest expected to be completed by December.

Houston, TX is trying to start that up as well. The only I am not sure about is whether Houston is going to contract one company or multiple network companies to create this Wifi. My other concern is, knowing how the city has a reputation to screw things up, if this network isn't secure as it should be, hackers will have a field day.

Click here to see a list of map and lists of municipal wi-fi projects in the USA: http://news.com.com/Municipal+broadband+an..._3-5690287.html

So, in FL...

Functioning projects:
Cocoa Beach, Daytona, Jacksonville, Ft. Lauderdale, Gulf Breeze, Manalapan, Monticello, North Miami Beach, Panama City, St. Cloud

Projects under development or consideration:
Adventura, Boyton Beach, Deltona, Dunedin, Homestead, Key West, Lakeland, Mariana Key, Miami Beach, Miami Dade County, Palm Bay, Tallahassee, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Winter Park, Winter Springs

in CA...

Functioning projects:
Burbank, Cerritos, Culver City, Cupertino, Encinitas, Fullerton, Hermosa Beach, Livermore, Long Beach, Lompoc, Los Angeles, Milpitas, Mountain View, Pleasanton, Riverside, San Diego County, San Mateo, Temecula

Projects under development or consideration:
Alameda, Anaheim, Azusa, Belmont, Burlingame, Covina, East Palo Alto, Folsom, Foster City, Fresno, Gustine, Hillsborough, Irvine, Los Angeles, Los Banos, Los Gatos, Modesto, Oakland, Pacifica, Pasadena, Pleasant Hill, Ripon, Sacramento, San Diego Indian tribal villages, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Clara, Simi Valley, Sunnyvale, West Hollywood

Cool, looks like it's coming along down here in Miami.