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Eyes on Anaheim and Earthlink
A summary of the municipal WiFi issue
Almost daily, there are headlines about municipal Wi-Fi being rolled out or delayed or debated in cities across the nation. This week, The Economist takes a look at Earthlink in Anaheim to summarize the issues that are popping up everywhere that citywide Wi-Fi is in the works. They discuss the problems that have caused EarthLink to second-guess their involvement in the plans. Breaking down the market-driven model in Anaheim, they look at cost, frequency conflicts with other tech gadgets and other complications. But with 175 regions already building citywide networks and that many more considering plans to do so, is going back on the deal really an option? Maybe we should be looking at the Philly model instead.
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POB
Res Firma Mitescere Nescit
Premium Member
join:2003-02-13
Stepford, CA

POB

Premium Member

Competition = Good for Consumers

Neither revenue stream has lived up to expectation. Originally, Earthlink thought it would be in clover if 20-25% of households signed up for its wireless internet service. It now realises it will be lucky to get 15%.

[...]

Internet access for residential users was never going to be the mainstay for municipal Wi-Fi. Most communities are pretty well served these days by cable, DSL and satellite internet services. As a result, competition has beaten broadband-access charges down to around $15 a month.
Quick. Somebody call a waaaaaaaaaambulance for Earthlink to take care of its competition problems.

ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
Premium Member
join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA

3 edits

ColorBASIC

Premium Member

Duh, tourists

Anaheim is a tourist hotbed. They would do better by offering it up as a giant city wide hotspot. Between Disneyland, Downtown Disney, California Adventure, Honda Ponda, Anaheim Stadium (home of the Los Angeles Anaheim Angels), Anaheim Convention Center and about a zillion other hotels and attractions there is plenty of year-round revenue to be had from the millions of tourists coming to the city each year. That along with a small residental and business user base equals a ton of cash.

It a hotspot owners dream to have that many people year round. They should sell hourly, day and week citywide hotspot access and make a mint.

Ream0
@rr.com

Ream0

Anon

What's Earthlink?

...Oh...I Remember! They hung up on me when I was complaining about their piss poor dialup connection. And as a consumer I have a right to complain and they should be forced to listen!

Earthlink must DIE!


Mactron
el Camino Real
Premium Member
join:2001-12-16
PRK

Mactron

Premium Member

Speaking of Nose Dives

"As a result, competition has beaten broadband-access charges down to around $15 a month. And where such services are not competitive, they quickly become so the moment municipal Wi-Fi presses its nose to the window."

The Lompoc CA. system has gotten beaten down to $9.95 Mo.


Of cource VZ and Comcast didn't see Lompoc CA. as a BB market until AFTER the City WiFi came about.

lt_wentoncha
Red6
join:2002-05-12
000000

lt_wentoncha

Member

$21.95? FU!

I live in Anaheim, I keep getting these doorknob flyers advertising wifi service for $21.95. However, no information on the type of speed of service is offered, but they do offer unlimited* bandwidth. You know, the kind that's so great that it's not just unlimited, it's unlimited*.

POS, I get 6/512 for $27 from SBC. PASS.

winterforge
Premium Member
join:2000-07-23
Seattle, WA

winterforge

Premium Member

Bleh...Anaheim...

Go Ottawa!
Techie714
join:2005-08-02
Anaheim, CA

Techie714

Member

Re: Bleh...Anaheim...

Anaheim=teh Pwnage

Ottawa=teh Sux

Darkflight
Stitch 626 LTE
join:2001-03-03
Rowland Heights, CA

Darkflight

Member

Re: Bleh...Anaheim...

Ducks rule... Senators... meh

ANywaz, the challenge, is basically making wifi a viable market and understanding... i would say other than the geopgraphical physical challenges, the high level of confusion of what wifi can and can't do makes it hard for people to understand its potential...