IP Democracy: Group Tapped for Silicon Valley Free Wi-Fi

Silicon Valley Metro Connect, a consortium of companies that includes Azulstar Networks, Cisco Systems, IBM and Seakay, has been selected to build the largest, at least geographically, free Wi-Fi network in the country. The network will span 1,500 miles and cover at least 40 cities and communities that include around 2.4 million people.

It’s not a completely done deal — the San Mateo County Telecommunications Authority and Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network agreed to recommend the group as the area’s preferred wireless provider, but according to the San Jose Mercury News, the consortium now has to persuade the jurisidictions to allow it to provide service in their communities. MetroConnect has to hammer out a model contract and then negotiate community by community, much the way cable operators and phone companies land their video franchises today.

MetroConnect has to work with the local goverments to gain access to the public rights of way. There are around 30,000 Wi-Fi access points that have to be mounted on city poles and conduits throughout the region. A number of cities in the region already have free Wi-Fi for their citizens, including Mountain View, San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and Cupertino.

The free service option delivers 1 Mbps download speeds, but premium tiers will be available, with the top tier priced at $59.95/month for 3 Mbps/download service. Few of the residents will be able to access the service indoors, unless they’re very near an access point. But MetroConnect will offer boosting gear for $80 to $120 that brings the signals indoors.

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on September 6, 2006 7:31 AM to IP Democracy