san francisco

Meraki: More than 100,000 have used WiFi in San Fran

Lynnette Luna — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 01:15:51 -0400

Meraki says more than 100,000 people have used its Free the Net service in San Francisco. The company is using San Francisco as test bed for its ad-hoc network that is formed using shared broadband connections and Meraki's WiFi repeaters that users place in their windows, balconies or roofs. Recently, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said that citywide WiFi will be a reality and that 144,000 residents will be surfing the Web for free by the end of the year at no cost to the city. Meraki is building the network and donating the service. The company expects it will take 15,000 devices to blanket the city with coverage.

For more:
- take a look at VentureBeat

Related stories:
San Fran Mayor says citywide WiFi will be a reality. Meraki story
Cities need to drive WiFi development. WiFi development story

Meraki unwires affordable housing in San Francisco

Lynnette Luna — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 01:19:50 -0400

Meraki, whose mission is to bring affordable Internet to the masses using off-the-shelf WiFi equipment and grassroots volunteerism, announced it will bring WiFi to affordable housing in San Francisco. The company has already established free wireless access in Altamont Hotel and Dunleavy Plaza, two of the city's affordable housing communities that provide single occupancy and family housing to more than 100 tenants. During the coming months, Meraki will extend Free the Net to dozens of similar communities in San Francisco. Article

EarthLink yanks muni WiFi network in Philly

Thu, 15 May 2008 06:59:56 -0400

EarthLink has pulled the plug on its $17-million municipal WiFi network in Philadelphia after it says it failed to reach an agreement with the city to take over the network. Originally, reports claimed EarthLink would give the city until the end of this week to come up with a deal, but now the company says no deal could be reached. City officials told the Wall Street Journal that the network would cost taxpayers millions of dollars each year.

"It's been an unfortunate situation," said EarthLink CEO Rolla Huff. "It was a great idea a few years ago... but it's an idea that simply didn't make it."

Earlier this year EarthLink announced it was no longer interested in the municipal WiFi business. The Philadelphia network had reached about 80 percent of its build-out. EarthLink has already stepped away from contracts with San Francisco, Houston, New Orleans and others. The only big contract outstanding is now Anaheim, CA, according to EarthLink.- Brian Dolan

For more on EarthLink pulling the plug:
- read this WSJ report (sub. req.)

Google's wireless expert leaving

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 06:59:54 -0500

Google's head of special initiatives Chris Sacca announced his intent to leave the company to become an angel investor in start-ups. Sacca led the charge for free WiFi in San Francisco and also the successful push for free WiFi in Mountain View, Calif. Sacca also led Google's push to include special rules requiring open access on a slice of the spectrum in the upcoming 700 MHz auction. According to a report in VentureBeat, Sacca has close ties to messaging company Twitter and Y Combinator. Google has not named a successor to Sacca.

For more on Sacca:
- read this write-up from VentureBeat

Related articles:
What will Google do? Report
Verizon plans to use Google's Android Report

Towerstream plans to bid in 700 MHz auction

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 06:59:53 -0500

Towerstream, which offers pre-WiMAX service to business customers, has filed with the FCC to bid in the 700 MHz auction, according to a report from Mass High Tech. Towerstream aims to use the spectrum to build out its WiMAX network. Jeff Thompson, CEO of Towerstream, called the 700 MHz spectrum a "natural fit" for WiMAX technology. Towerstream has established what it calls "pre-WiMAX" networks in markets that include New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Boston.

For more on the company's auction play:
- read this article from MassHighTech

Related articles:
- 700 MHz auction: Clearwire won't bid; VZW will Article
- Towerstream lauds FCC 3650 MHz decision Article

JetBlue offers WiFi on 'BetaBlue' flight

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 06:59:56 -0500

JetBlue will begin offering passengers free email access on an aircraft that will fly from New York to San Francisco. Passengers on "BetaBlue" will be able to connect to Yahoo Mail and IM services using their laptops or WiFi-enabled BlackBerry devices via WiFi antennae in the ceiling and computer server that relays signals to the ground. JetBlue was one of the winning bidders of air-to-ground spectrum back 2006.

For more about JetBlue's BetaBlue flight:
- read this article from AFP

Earthlink may bow out of WiFi altogether

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:59:57 -0500

After cutting 900 jobs and closing several offices in August, Earthlink now is mulling an exit from the muni-WiFi business altogether. In a statement on Friday, CEO Rolla Huff said the company "decided that making significant further investments in this business could be inconsistent with our objective of maximizing shareholder value." Earthlink has long been looking to stem losses associated with its muni-WiFi business and its MVNO joint venture, Helio, with SK Telecom. In September, the company indicated it wouldn't invest anymore in Helio for now and revealed that partner SK Telecom will invest an additional $270 million in the MVNO.

Since August, Earthlink has bailed out of a deal to provide WiFi service to San Francisco and Houston. While Cincinnati halted plans for a muni-WiFi network amid Earthlink's struggles.

The ISP said it is looking at "strategic alternatives" (aka selling) for the WiFi division, which it said was worth about $40 million. As it considers the alternatives, the company said it would work closely with cities it already has deals with.

To read more:
- check out this article from AP

Related articles:
Muni-WiFi market shakeout? Report
Earthlink drops out of SF WiFi deal Report

Metric: 802.11n huge promise for muni-WiFi

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 06:59:53 -0400

Analyst firm Novarum says muni-WiFi networks are "far from dead" and promise to operate just as reliable as existing cellular data services if 802.11n client devices or high-performance adapters and high-gain antennas are used. Novarum found that 802.11n client devices not only worked on current muni-WiFi networks, but they were able to pull signals in instances where traditional 802.11 a,b & g devices were not and worked without difficulty in areas where traditional devices registered weak signals.

For more about Novarum's findings:
- read this article from Muniwireless

EarthLink not responsive in Houston with WiFi

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 06:59:55 -0400

One could easily speculate that EarthLink is ready to pull the plug on its municipal WiFi business. The ISP, which announced recently that it was rethinking its business model, has yet to begin building a WiFi network in Houston. EarthLink won a contract to build the network months ago.

Houston Mayor Bill White said EarthLink is obligated under contract to build the network within a specified time or pay Houston compensation. He said he has been working with EarthLink officials to find a mutually beneficial solution.

"I would intend to either wrap something up within a fairly short period of time-- probably a matter of weeks, not months--or proceed with our legal remedies against the company," White said.

Moreover, EarthLink has not yet signed an agreement with CenterPoint Energy to lease its light poles for the project. City officials had expected EarthLink to sign the contract in mid-April, when the council approved the contract.

In San Francisco, EarthLink recently asked the city's board of supervisors to delay a vote scheduled for early August until at least September.

For more about EarthLink's lack of action in Houston:
- read this article from the Houston Chronicle

Could EarthLink pull out of the San Francisco WiFi deal?

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 06:59:57 -0400

San Francisco's proposed muni-WiFi network has once again hit a snag, but this time EarthLink is to blame. The ISP has asked the city's board of supervisors to delay a vote scheduled for this week until at least September. The board of supervisors has been the one to delay the initiative for two years now debating the provisions of the EarthLink-Google proposal. EarthLink's move follows the revelation last week from CEO Roll Huff that his company's muni-WiFi strategy isn't working. To make sure EarthLink gets a return on its investment, he wants "municipal government to step up and become a meaningful anchor tenant on completion of a build." The San Francisco deal has no such commitment negotiated, calling for advertising-supported WiFi. EarthLink's board of directors is expected to review the future direction of EarthLink's muni-WiFi business. Imagine if San Francisco officials had to start all over again.

For more about the muni WiFi delay in San Francisco:
- read this piece from MuniWireless

Related articles:
- After two years, San Francisco is closer to free WiFi
- SF mayor: Don't let politics ruin muni-WiFi plans

After two years, San Francisco is closer to free WiFi

Mon, 09 Jul 2007 06:59:53 -0400

Two years after proposing a plan to unwire San Francisco with free muni-WiFi, Mayor Gavin Newsom may finally see the plan come to fruition, with some modifications. In May, Newsom voiced his frustration that plans to have the city WiFi-enabled were put on hold again by the board of supervisors. He lamented that San Francisco could become one of the last cities in the U.S. to have WiFi.

Newsom's administration had negotiated a contract with Earthlink and Google to provide the network. The duo would pay the city $2 million over four years in exchange for building and operating the network. But some members of the board of supervisors didn't like the contract and wanted the city to consider running its own WiFi network. Aaron Peskin, president of the board, said he studied the contract and decided it would benefit the city--with some significant changes to the contract. Peskin said he is in talks with officials at EarthLink about the proposed amendments.

Peskin's proposals include:

Speeding up the connection for those receiving WiFi for free. Under Newsom's original plan, those customers would be connected at a slower rate of 300 Kbps, while paid subscribers would get 1 Mbps. Peskin believes the speed for free users should be increased to 500 Kbps.
Making sure the network works in all parts of the city, especially in the southeast sector where a high percentage of residents lack Internet access.
Getting more money from Earthlink. Peskin said he wants to make sure the city is compensated for letting Earthlink use the city's poles. He also wants the 16-year contract Newsom has negotiated to be shortened to eight years.

For more about the proposed WiFi contract modifications:
- read this article from the San Francisco Chronicle

Google counters privacy concerns about its WiFi

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 20:01:38 -0400

Google believes in the one-two approach. First, it will begin a phased roll out of a free wireless Internet access service in its home town of Mountain View, California, this summer. Second, while the company is still hammering out details with San Francisco officials for its citywide WiFi service there, it has already began a public relations campaign aiming to assuage the concerns more and more people have about the privacy aspects of the company's San Francisco deployment.

These concerns center on the location-tracking feature of the Google system. The company will give resident of the city on the bay free access to the Internet, but in return it will track every call they make and, using GPS, where they make the call from. Pinpointing the caller's location at the time he or she makes a call, Google will send a stream of advertising to the caller's phone or PDA, advertising business establishments in the immediate vicinity of the caller. Thus, if make a call while walking down Fisherman's Wharf, you will see a list of sea food restaurants on your hand-held's LCD screen; if you happen to make a call while walking in the neighborhood of AT&T Park, you will likely see a list of suppliers of performance-enhancing drugs.

The message Google's been delivering through local media interviews and meetings with local businesses and citizens is that people do not have to worry about their privacy being violated. Chris Sacca, Google's head of special initiatives, admits that the system the company is building in San Francisco will be able to track callers, but not to the pinpoint degree of accuracy many detractors think it will be. Sacca says that Google will gain a level of geographical certainty about a WiFi network user, but it is going to be within a few football fields of accuracy, which is the range of any one single WiFi access point. He added that Google will have little more than a user's e-mail address to match to their location, which reveals very little personal detail, he said.

Google will, however, take a look at using more accurate location-based technology, wherever it might be found. This more accurate technology would help Google serve up more locally targeted ads, which businesses are calling for, and to provide new, more locally based content to Google consumers. What if law enforcement ask Google to help track an individual making calls over the network? As with any request from law enforcement, Sacca said Google would only respond to valid and appropriate requests for user's whereabouts, should police ever ask. "We have some tried and true principles of how we do business," Sacca said. "We have a deep commitment to privacy."

For more on Google's Mountain View roll out
-see Elinor Mills's Sillicon.com report
For more on Google's publicity campaign
-see Ben Charny's eWeek report

Google to build WiFi hotzone

Tue, 15 Nov 2005 19:01:37 -0500

Google has submitted a bid to build a WiFi network in San Francisco, but as it waits that city's decision, the search engine company is planning to build a WiFi network in its own backyard--Mountain View, CA, about 40 miles south of San Francisco where the company has its headquarters. Google has not given details of the plans, and it has not explained how it is going to make money on the scheme. The company will submit a proposal to the Mountain View City Council. The plan calls for placing 300 transmitters on top of street lights and telephone poles, turning the city of 72,000 into a hotzone. If the plan goes forward, then those who enjoy free WiFi will be not only the employees of Google, but those of nearby Mozilla and Microsoft's MSN and Hotmail divisions. The city, by the way, has not asked for any other bids.

For more on Google's Mountain View plan:
- see Rhonda Ascierto's ComputerBusiness report

SPOTLIGHT: May the best team win

Tue, 18 Oct 2005 20:01:33 -0400

nextWLAN wants to deploy a network of wireless nodes which would be connected to existing DSL or cable lines. If enough people signed up, San Francisco could create a network using the nodes to expand residential coverage for about $10 per month per household. SFLAN suggests the city erect wireless access points on rooftops and make the service available for free. These are but two of the 26 proposals--one by Google--submitted to San Francisco as the city tries to decide which proposal would best make city-wide WiFi a reality. Report

Muni-WiFi battle essentially over, incumbents lose

Tue, 04 Oct 2005 20:01:36 -0400

Remember the many stories we published last year about the not-always-honest campaign incumbent telcos launched against muni-WiFi? That effort consisted of paying obscure entities calling themselves "research organizations" to publish factually anemic studies on how muni-WiFi would not make business sense and would violate the spirit of free competition. The other part of the campaign consisted of donations to politicians' coffers in return for legislation which would prohibit city-sponsored wireless Internet access.

It is good to report that the battle is essentially over but for the shouting (or grumbling). Leading the march into the future are the cities of Philadelphia and San Francisco, each reaching new milestones on the path toward muni-WiFi. Philadelphia received 12 proposals from industry giants to do the work and in the final round selected EarthLink over Hewlett-Packard to build the network. The deal will be finalized by the end of November. The network would cost about $15 million to build and $2.5 million per year to maintain. San Francisco has received 26 proposals to build its network. Google is among the companies submitting proposals.

It is not clear whether access would be free. Philadelphia is contemplating a monthly $20 fee ($10 for low income residents), while San Francisco is still undecided.

Read more on the state of muni-WiFi:
- in Brad Grimes' GCN report
- see this report from TheRegister on the Philadelphia-EarthLink connection
- and this discussion on the different approaches different cities take

ALSO: Google wants to offer San Francisco free WiFi. The move, however, is not about transforming Google from a search engine into a communication company. Rather, it is about selling ads. Analysis