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story category Earthlink Closing Philly Wi-Fi Network June 12
Files suit in federal court to cap their lilability at $1 million
02:19PM Tuesday May 13 2008 by Karl Bode
tags: business · wireless · trouble · municipal · EarthLink
As they threatened last week if they couldn't transfer ownership, Earthlink is pulling the plug on Philly's incomplete Wi-Fi network. According to their press release, the company is giving users of the network until June 12 to steal service from any of a million nearby unsecured hotspots switch to another provider. In the release, Earthlink says efforts to transfer ownership to other parties fell apart due to "unresolved issues." Apparently nobody wanted a network that cost millions to operate but saw relatively few users.
"EarthLink has worked diligently for many months to transfer our Wi-Fi network to a new owner -- at no cost," said Rolla Huff, EarthLink's chairman and chief executive officer. "Unfortunately, our hope that we could transfer our network to a non-profit organization that had planned to offer free Wi-Fi throughout Philadelphia will not be realized. Since we have exhausted our efforts to find a new owner of the network, our only responsible alternative now is to remove our network at our cost and assist our Wi-Fi customers with alternative ways to access the Internet."
In what could be considered a flip off to the city (unless you think signed contracts are irrelevant), Earthlink filed suit in Federal court to reclaim their hardware and cap their liability for the project at $1 million. Earthlink had hoped that citywide Wi-Fi and powerline broadband could be one way to remain relevant in the face of continued dial-up subscriber defections. So what now? Flower sales?

Related:
  1. Earthlink Backs Out of San Fran Wi-Fi
  2. Is EarthLink Exiting the Wi-Fi Industry?
  3. Corpus Christi Finally Gives Up on Earthlink
  4. 2 out of 5 Cities Take Wi-Fi Back from Earthlink
  5. New Orleans Opts To End Wi-Fi Network
  6. Solar Wi-Fi Plan Ends In Lawsuit
  7. Earthlink Free Of Money Pit Helio -- Now What?
  8. MetroFi Antennas Could Cost $60,000 to Remove
Forums » Earthlink Closing Philly Wi-Fi Network June 12
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK

....

...


N3OGH
They both suck, we're so screwed
Premium
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs
·Verizon Online DSL

Re: ....

*EPIC FAIL*
satellite68

join:2007-04-11
Louisville, KY

Re: ....

satellite68

join:2007-04-11
Louisville, KY

Re: ....

truocchio

join:2004-07-05
Miami Beach, FL

Re: ....

really..you think the USA is an epic failure? You may diagree with foreign policy or even domestic policy but as far as I am concerned (and most historians) the US is the epitome of the SUCCESS of modern civilization and continues to be the WORLD LEADER for most of the important metrics while basically being the linchpin for the worlds financial system. FYI the whole world doesnt hate us, I have been to many countries recently and have many foreign friends and they still love the US although they may disagree with our Foreign policy. Take that shit somewhere else! Maybe daily KOS or some leftie pinko commie blog, f**king loser
satellite68

join:2007-04-11
Louisville, KY
·Vonage
·Insight Communicat..

Re: ....

Oh for God's fucking sake, do you have absolutely no sense of humor? IT'S A JOKE. HUMOR-or are you completely incapable of any kind of levity?

God forbid anyone have the ability to joke about their country. I have the ability to joke about it-and I'm a veteran. So..........take YOUR shit somewhere else.
truocchio

join:2004-07-05
Miami Beach, FL

Re: ....

I certainly can take a joke. Usually they are preceded or follow by a notation as such. Your post had no such indication, therefore my inability to read your mind and its subsequent response to your post seemed right on. There is just way too much US bashing in the net these days and I am persoanlly sick of the "bash us to be cool crowd"
Anyway...haha....now i get it...
Thanks for your service.
satellite68

join:2007-04-11
Louisville, KY

Re: ....

it's all good. my bad, i should have put [sarcasm on]...

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·Cox HSI
·AT&T Southwest

satellite68

join:2007-04-11
Louisville, KY

Re: ....

again, it's a joke. I'm thinking yours is too.

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK

Re: ....

Ya that bumper sticker is classic

PhoenixDown
-- Ron Paul 2008 --
Premium
join:2003-06-08
Fresh Meadows, NY
clubs:

Lets all chip in and buy it

I'll start it off at $100

JeepMatt
Delaware Fios
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Wilmington, DE

Re: Lets all chip in and buy it

Everyone that lived in this area knew it was a joke from the beginning anyway.

Good luck going bankrupt Earthlink. We don't care.
--
"ONE team - ONE city - ONE dream!!"

N3OGH
They both suck, we're so screwed
Premium
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs

Re: Lets all chip in and buy it

Second that.

Anyone who believed this one would work probably was sure the Eagles were winning the Super Bowl "Big Game" this year....
--
Petty people are disproportionably corrupted by petty power…

Homebrew1994
Betzwood Basement Brewery

join:2001-11-15
King Of Prussia, PA
·Comcast

Wasn't this one Hizzoner Mayor Street's big plans to turn the city around?
Maybe fixing the schools or fighting the murder rate might have been a better use of his time.
--
My other cyber-pasttime, Where's George
Miserable Failure
alalper
Premium
join:2000-08-20
Philadelphia, PA

said by PhoenixDown See Profile :

I'll start it off at $100
Why would you even consider buying it when Earthlink is willing to give it to anyone who will take it over?

Of course, if you took it over, you'd also have to take the contract that goes with it.

TK Junk Mail
Go ahead, make my day
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Margate City, NJ
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Re: Lets all chip in and buy it

said by alalper See Profile :

said by PhoenixDown See Profile :

I'll start it off at $100
Why would you even consider buying it when Earthlink is willing to give it to anyone who will take it over?

Of course, if you took it over, you'd also have to take the contract that goes with it.
The City of Filthadelphia could have taken it over for free. But they didn't want to pay the cost of operating it. And small wonder, since it cost plenty to run and brings in little to no revenue. And with hardly anybody using it, there were no prospects anyone else would want it.
--
My BLOG .. .. Internet News .. .. My Web Page
hottboiinnc
Kyle

join:2003-10-15
Toledo, OH
I'll take it!

good_riddance

@verizon.net

who cares...

(in a sing-song voice) and then along came verizon....

RadioDoc
Sortofadog
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
Chicago, IL

"transfer our Wi-Fi network to a new owner -- at no cost"

Well, since they put such a high value on it, no wonder nobody wanted to take it.

Just another of a long line of punch lines from the jokers at Earthlink.
--
Toolmaster of La Grange.

Boricua65
Oye, chico

join:2002-01-26
Sacramento, CA

Eat link

Earthlink should be shut down and fed to the dogs!!!
firewire9999

join:2004-07-11
Livonia, MI

Re: Eat link

Thats not fair to the dog.

I am reporting you PETA for credulity to animals.

Billa9b0ng
Premium
join:2002-04-08
Altoona, PA

ha

First this news, and in a few days they will have been swept by the PENGUINS!!

poor philly
--
The floggings will continue until morale improves!

N3OGH
They both suck, we're so screwed
Premium
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs
·Verizon Online DSL


edit:
May 13th, @05:10PM

Re: ha

said by Billa9b0ng See Profile :

First this news, and in a few days they will have been swept by the PENGUINS!!
Dream on Altoona, dream on.

Flyers will tie it up in no time.
--
Petty people are disproportionably corrupted by petty power…

Billa9b0ng
Premium
join:2002-04-08
Altoona, PA

Re: ha

Oh, I must have missed something!

italiansmoke

join:2005-07-21
Monroe, MI

Flyers tying up the series?... Are you sure Billa is the one that's dreaming?

Pittsburgh is making Philly look silly.

Fortunately, it really doesn't matter since Detroit trumps all.
patcat88

join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

millions?

Whats shocking is, is that Earthlink will dismantle the network, whats the point in that? Do those 802.11B APs have any resale value?

And why the hell does it cost millions to operate each year? Are they feeding the electricity to the APs from burning $100 bills inside a steam boiler? How much is a 100mbit ethernet line and $1*num of APs of electricity a year?
milbrath

join:2006-03-27
Dresden, TN

Re: millions?

Unfortunately they are probably paying something along the lines of $15 per month for electricity per AP. Here you pay $12 per month per metered connection + usage. Everytime you see a meter figure $12 or so + usage just for that one thing plugged into, wheter it be the phone, cable company, or in this Case Earthlink.

Perhaps they got a deal, but I doubt it.

Backspace
Allah Says " Vote For Hussein Osama '08"
Arbitrary Text
join:2001-12-30
Upper U S
clubs:
·Verizon Online DSL
·Comcast
·1and1

said by patcat88 See Profile :

............snip......................

And why the hell does it cost millions to operate each year?

...............snip.......................................
In Philadelphia you have to pay to play. Check out former mayor Street and his indicted friends and relatives. New mayor, same crap.

billyjoejimbob

@qwest.net

said by patcat88 See Profile :

And why the hell does it cost millions to operate each year? Are they feeding the electricity to the APs from burning $100 bills inside a steam boiler? How much is a 100mbit ethernet line and $1*num of APs of electricity a year?
Most of the cost is in actually maintaining the equipment and keeping the network operational. With the number of access points needed to cover a city the size of Philadelphia you'd likely have multiple crews of workers busy every day dealing with equipment failures, vandalism, etc....
patcat88

join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

Re: millions?

said by billyjoejimbob :

equipment failures, vandalism, etc....
Equipment failures? Aren't there warranties on the AP hardware? It must be more reliable than my 3 year old Linksys.

Vandalism to a pole mounted AP »www.polywog.org/pictures/philade···i_ap.jpg ? Are the APs being used as markmanship training targets? Or does phili have monkeys which can scale light poles unassisted and hang off the AP like trees? Or have robbers/looters learned how to use cherry pickers? How much vandalism can there be?

billyjoejimbob

@qwest.net

Re: millions?

said by patcat88 See Profile :

said by billyjoejimbob :

equipment failures, vandalism, etc....
Equipment failures? Aren't there warranties on the AP hardware? It must be more reliable than my 3 year old Linksys.

Vandalism to a pole mounted AP »www.polywog.org/pictures/philade···i_ap.jpg ? Are the APs being used as markmanship training targets? Or does phili have monkeys which can scale light poles unassisted and hang off the AP like trees? Or have robbers/looters learned how to use cherry pickers? How much vandalism can there be?
I'm sure there are warranties on the hardware, but on failures the expensive part isn't replacing the hardware. The expensive part is paying someone to diagnose what the problem is, or paying a tower crew to replace equipment etc... And with this being outdoor equipment I guarantee you the failure rates are much higher than on your linksys that is in a controlled environment in your house, even if the equipment is "hardened".

One big problem of using the standard unlicensed 2.4ghz WiFi frequencies for your network is that you have to deal with other people using the same frequencies for their own stuff, causing yours to cease working properly.

As for vandalism, you'd be amazed at what people manage to destroy. Here's an article about someone damaging some fiber optic lines near Cleveland with gunfire.

»www.itbusinessedge.com/item/?ci=32601

Like I said, you're likely to need teams of people working every day of the year to keep the network operational, which is where the big expense comes from in ongoing costs.

Hell, St. Cloud Florida operates a citywide WiFi network and it costs them $400,000 per year to keep it running. And St. Cloud is tiny compared to Philly.

»wifinetnews.com/archives/007535.html

senatedon

join:2002-03-18
Harrisburg, PA
·Comcast Digital Vo..

Karl, can I say, "told you so" now?

this was a failure from the beginning and you and others tried to deflect my arguments by writing what a big bad company Verizon is.

Well, VZ had nothing to do with this predicted failure.

Told you so.
patcat88

join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

just in time

Perhaps a smarter method of operation of Philadelphia Wifi by Earthlink would have been to only build out coverage to serve homes of people who signed 1 year contracts, and public facilities (near libraries/parks/muni buildings) asked for by the city. Just-in-time construction, nothing new. Nomad and roamers are the least stable customers so why build for them?
Forums » Earthlink Closing Philly Wi-Fi Network June 12


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