Wireless Philadelphia close to reality
Philadelphia freedom!
Last year, Philadelphia became the first large city to announce a plan to provide a low-cost wireless Internet network. Wireless Philadelphia, a nonprofit organization, was charged with overseeing the project to bring wireless Internet access to the city’s 1.5 million residents across 135 square miles.
Yesterday, Philadelphia city officials confirmed they had finalized a 10-year contract with EarthLink to provide the wireless Internet service across the city.
The contract will go before the City Council for approval in February. Construction should start right after the contract is signed. EarthLink will build the network initially over a 15-square-mile area in Northeast Philadelphia to prove the system will work, according to the city’s chief information officer Dianah Neff.
If successful, citywide access could be turned on by spring 2007.
Where’s Wireless Wilmington?