The city of Boston is pursuing a decidely unique approach to mounting its muni-broadband services. Instead of contracting out the initiative to a commercial third-party, Boston has instead decided to set up a non-profit foundation that would run a common carrier network of sorts, allowing multiple providers to compete over the infrastructure. Yesterday, Mayor Thomas M. Menino named Pamela Reeve, former CEO of software company Lightbridge, to head the search for a non-profit willing to build the massive network.
Reeve is charged with raising $16 million to $20 million in donations to build the system. She will approach businesses, hospitals, universities and the like asking for contributions. Hmmm….although innovative in its approach, positioning something as crucial as a major communications service as a charity, so to speak, seems just a little pie-in-the-sky, kind of like putting 21st-century broadband applications on par with United Way contributions.
City Councilor John M. Tobin is quoted as saying
“My major concern is the raising of funds,” he said. “There’s a lot of people out there trying to raise money, for gun buyback programs, for summer jobs. We need to be out there telling people why this is so important for the city.”
Although Boston did raise $35 million to wire the city’s schools for broadband a few years back, that, at least, was a feel-good cause likely to bring out good corporate citizens. When it comes to a city-wide network that may or may not have direct benefits for any single contributor, businesses and institutions may not be as inclined to open their pocketbooks.
Cynthia Brumfield at 10:21 AM|Comments(0)
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