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Fresno Wants Citywide Wireless But Doesn’t Want To Pay
Lots of rules in the RFP but no offer of payment

The city of Fresno has issued a request for proposals from companies interested in building out a citywide wireless network there. The company creating the network would be required to offer free services to customers throughout the city and would have to meet a goal of 95% indoor penetration. The network would also be used for municipal services including public safety services. And the city wants it all without having to pay a dime; all costs would be the burden of the network. This model has failed in numerous cities; what would make Fresno different?

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jc10098
join:2002-04-10

jc10098

Member

I also want...

A Porsche, Mansion, and a bank account loaded with money. Why do I deserve it? I am special. That's about as dumb of logic as Fresno is tossing out. Good luck on getting anyone to foot the bill to wire your city at their expense. Next up, Fresno wants all businesses to give away their goods instead of selling them.

C0deZer0
Oc'D To Rhythm And Police
Premium Member
join:2001-10-03
Tempe, AZ

C0deZer0

Premium Member

Re: I also want...

While we're at it, I want a master's degree without having to study or do any homework.

Dogfather
Premium Member
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA

1 edit

2 recommendations

Dogfather

Premium Member

Re: I also want...

They have that, it's called Poli-Sci.
jc10098
join:2002-04-10

jc10098

Member

Re: I also want...

Or Masters in Liberal Art. Talk about a useless degree.

Dogfather
Premium Member
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA

Dogfather

Premium Member

Re: I also want...

They're the most well read folks in the unemployment office.

NetAdmin1
CCNA
join:2008-05-22

NetAdmin1 to jc10098

Member

to jc10098
General studies is far worse...

cdru
Go Colts
MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN

cdru to C0deZer0

MVM

to C0deZer0
said by C0deZer0:

While we're at it, I want a master's degree without having to study or do any homework.
I'd look into "University" of Phoenix. I hear that they will fit your requirements to a T.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5 to jc10098

Premium Member

to jc10098
And aside from any business issues there is the unmeetable goal of 95% indoor coverage. If previous implementations are any indication, that goal can't be met.
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

1 recommendation

patcat88

Member

Re: I also want...

Click for full size
Click for full size
said by FFH5:

And aside from any business issues there is the unmeetable goal of 95% indoor coverage. If previous implementations are any indication, that goal can't be met.
Aslong as everyone has a water bong, you can get 95% indoor coverage. It works for me.
SuperWISP
join:2007-04-17
Laramie, WY

SuperWISP

Member

Wacky tabacky

Smoke enough of that wacky tabacky and you won't care what kind of coverage you have.

keyboard5684
Sam
join:2001-08-01
Pittsburgh, PA

keyboard5684 to patcat88

Member

to patcat88

Re: I also want...

You would probably do better with something like this...

»www.winncom.com/moreinfo ··· dex.html
jc10098
join:2002-04-10

jc10098 to FFH5

Member

to FFH5
Well it might be a possible goal if it was ACTUALLY funded by the city and not an unrealistic goal filled with wishful thinking. I don't know how good WiMax is works. I saw the other article talking about a city wanting to try that. While I'm all for technological advances, building a fiber network would yield MUCH BETTER results than trying to give everyone wifi. I think Fresno is smoking some good stuff to think anyone will take them up on the offer.
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2 to jc10098

Premium Member

to jc10098
.. and then if I was living in Fresno, *I* would want to pay no taxes either. I mean, why? They're getting things for free, so why should I need to pay them?

Fresno isn't actually a tourist trap, or do they not know this? Are they expecting non-residents/visitors to support the network? hah!

accounting8
join:2008-02-29
Columbus, OH

accounting8

Member

Economics course needed

It sounds like the Fresno local officials need to sign up to take a basic economics course or a practical business course. They need to obtain some sort of business sense.

asdfghjklzx5
Premium Member
join:2004-05-03

asdfghjklzx5

Premium Member

Re: Economics course needed

said by accounting8:

It sounds like the Fresno local officials need to sign up to take a basic economics course or a practical business course. They need to obtain some sort of business sense.
This WIFI plan is naive, but the city as a whole has had decent economic sense, as for the last decade they've had a balanced city budget - even in times when the state of CA had a 30 billion deficit.
Packerman3
join:2004-04-15

Packerman3

Member

Wireless Fail

City wireless will always fail. Mostly because people in the city don't even know about it and even if they do services from wireless phone providers will continue to improve makes things like city wireless mute.

CrysDark
join:2004-09-12
Fresno, CA

CrysDark

Member

Wow

Don't worry there will be someone dumb enough here to think they will make money off of it.

I'm a native by the way.
neufuse
join:2006-12-06
James Creek, PA

neufuse

Member

wifi

A little off topic... but why do cities keep deploying WiFi 802.11a/b/g access points? why doesnt a city deploy like 4 WiMax towers ontop of high buildings? 4 WiMax towers can service what hundreds of WiFi 802.11 access points can barely...

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: wifi

said by neufuse:

A little off topic... but why do cities keep deploying WiFi 802.11a/b/g access points? why doesnt a city deploy like 4 WiMax towers ontop of high buildings? 4 WiMax towers can service what hundreds of WiFi 802.11 access points can barely...
The news item linked in the BBR story does say that Wimax is an option that could be bid. It doesn't have to be WiFi.

ninjatutle
Premium
join:2006-01-02
San Ramon, CA

1 recommendation

ninjatutle

Member

Sounds like a plan to me

Isn't this the new American way? Always wanting something for nothing.

People want to get rich but don't want to work to do so. They're looking for a lawsuit payout. The city govt of Fresno is a reflection of it's people.
Expand your moderator at work

softimage
join:2002-09-04

softimage

Member

read

read the article, BBR has a way of omitting certain details.
SuperWISP
join:2007-04-17
Laramie, WY

SuperWISP

Member

And a pony

What's amazing is that these cities continue to ask for the moon without understanding the economics, the limits of the technology, the limits imposed by the laws of physics and by FCC rules, and the logistics of providing Internet service. Even the brief summary above makes it quite clear that they do not understand any of these things adequately.

The FCC -- which was once an "expert" agency before all of the technical experts left and it became completely political -- made the same mistake when it voted to sanction Comcast for doing very reasonable things to manage its network. Fresno needs to get an ISP (as a wireless ISP -- the world's first, in fact -- I'd be glad to do it as a consultant) to spec out what can be done. And their City Council needs to listen to that person.
iansltx
join:2007-02-19
Austin, TX

iansltx

Member

Re: And a pony

Meh, a company could probably do it...

By drowning out all other companies' wireless signals, maing their network the only network, throttling speeds down to 256/128, and putting NebuAd on the system. $3 per user isn't so bad when everyone's using it. Oh, and don't forget obnoxious 728x90 banner ads at the top of each page.

Yeah, it's possible to do, but it's ugly and nobody would want to do it anyway. It'd take a LOT of effort to get an 802.11 network up that people with their computers could use, we've seen that time and again :/

Transmaster
Don't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus
join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY

1 edit

3 recommendations

Transmaster

Member

Verse 23-6-12 from the Gospel According to Obama

Thus I say unto you that it come about
in the Land of Obama. Free Wifi for the multitudes.
The people gathered at the mountain of no wifi to hear there the word the lord. and thus It came about they witnessed the Miracle of The Modems. The Aposltes came to the Lord Obama and said unto Him, the people have no WiFi in which to worship at the temple of Porno. Obama admonished his disciples, worry thee not for I have a plan, thus it came about Lord Obama served the masses with but 5 modems, and the people sang hootenanny to the highest.

goodlitsaint
@bellsouth.net

goodlitsaint

Anon

Re: Verse 23-6-12 from the Gospel According to Obama

Preach it brother Preach it!
Let us all gather round and hear more from the good book!
SuperWISP
join:2007-04-17
Laramie, WY

SuperWISP to iansltx

Member

to iansltx

Re: And a pony

That's why they need an engineer to design the system. Good engineering and good business planning could avoid all of the problems you mention.
Madtown
Premium Member
join:2008-04-26
93637-2905

Madtown

Premium Member

I'm willing to pay Taxes for it

I sure hope Fresno will get it, because I'm in Fresno all the time. I sure hope Shaw and Blacktstone will get good signal and so will Woodward Park or Logan Park will get good signal, and maybe Fashion Fair or Manchester Mall will get good signal inside.

However, I don't think it will ever happen at all, at least not until my grandkids are grown and I'm not even a father yet. In fact I rather pay taxes to help support this than to pay taxes for the pathetic road works, when the roads don't need any fixing. I'm very willing to pay taxes for the city to get Wi-Fi.
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: I'm willing to pay Taxes for it

This is a joke. Until there is a national strategy, these spots of wireless are a joke. Instead of paying taxes, why not put your money into a mobile broadband card and have service in more places then ever?

I have my Sprint card (Still unlimited, maybe I'll post here how I still get unlimited some day, maybe not) and I know that I can use my service in MANY places at large. With these little WiFi spots here and there, and more cities all trying to do some different flavor, WiFi, WiMax, or any other kind of network they are testing, I'd rather have my mobile card. I don't want to have 5 different connection cards or methods on me in order to "plug in" to that city's system. It's just like being a member of T-Mobile's hot-spot network and getting to an airport that uses AT&T making you have pay another network for access.

Until every area standardizes.. I say "meh... forget about it"

Dogfather
Premium Member
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA

Dogfather

Premium Member

Politicians are stupid

This just goes to show you how stupid politicians are and their complete ignorance of simple economics is why these gov'ts are continuously in the red.

They've got to be kidding
quote:
privately owned WiFi or Wi-MAX network built at no cost to the city, but the city will consider anchor tenant proposals;
network to be used for some municipal applications
support for public safety use in the 4.9 GHz frequency
network owner must sell wholesale access to other service providers
the network owner must offer free access although it can charge for residential and business uses as well as premium point-to-point and point-to-multipoint services.
open network requirement, no filtering
95% indoor penetration
Relic (banned)
join:2003-09-29

Relic (banned)

Member

Priorities?

First fix the crime problem, then find a better method of delivering a vital service to the people without such an outrageous plan like this.

SuperCPA
Premium Member
join:2002-11-28
Dayton, OH

SuperCPA

Premium Member

City of Fresno

Perhaps the city does not want any takers to accept the agreement. At least the city could say "sorry, we tried".
SuperWISP
join:2007-04-17
Laramie, WY

SuperWISP

Member

Re: City of Fresno

Yes, I suppose that the city could be making an offer that no one could accept (as opposed to one that no one could refuse). But then, why bother?

Angelo Mozillo
@sbcglobal.net

Angelo Mozillo

Anon

Free for me

Hey, they're just following my get-rich-quick ethos.

Something for nothing and chicks for free.

I still have houses for sale in Florida. Come on down.
93388818 (banned)
It's cool, I'm takin it back
join:2000-03-14
Dallas, TX

93388818 (banned)

Member

lol

Fresno Wants Citywide Wireless But Doesn’t Want To Pay

...well shit, so do I!
DMNTD
join:2002-10-19
Austin, TX

1 edit

DMNTD

Member

broken records

Well its great that everyone feels the need to UTTERLY speak the obvious in that they don't want to pay..........its in the article.

If this has to be said then maybe YOU,YOURSELF have a problem? Don't get me wrong your all very well brainwashed but I think the point of the matter is that if money has to be involved on a level beyond the ones bringing the wi-fi to the city only complicates things and detracts from the matter of fact. Honestly, beyond a new tech altogether no holds bar wi-fi might be the only thing that CAN last in a city wide plan. Imagine that..something done JUST to be done...I think thats ahead of its time right now.
GrantGevens
join:2000-03-16
Knoxville, TN

GrantGevens

Member

Hope and change

It is irrelevant that this model has completely failed numerous times. All Fresno needs is the audacity of hope and change and magically it will work.

jester121
Premium Member
join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL

jester121

Premium Member

Typical small time politicians

They're entitled to have companies (and taxpayers) come and serve their every whim.

Next month's city council agenda will include a requirement that in order to do IT work in the city, you have to contract to help with this wireless network boondoggle.
supertbone
join:2002-04-04
Pleasant Grove, UT

supertbone

Member

The real issues

Shouldn't Fresno worry about the big problems that plague that area, such as meth labs and cow tipping?
Moffetts
join:2005-05-09
San Mateo, CA

Moffetts

Member

Re: The real issues

Not so much the cow tipping, but yeah. Fresno is grasping at anything (anything) to make downtown in particular more appealing, and I guess this is the newest half-baked idea. Remember, this premise is coming from the same people that believed a man-made river would make downtown popular again.

insomniac84
join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN

insomniac84

Member

Bad requirements

This would definitely require ads being served on screen. And being free people may not mind ads being injected into web pages, but the sites viewed might have legal ground to sue when other people's ads show up on their pages. The city would need to offer legal protection and insurance in case a lawsuit deems the only source of revenue illegal.
"support for public safety use in the 4.9 GHz frequency"
This either means the whole service can be run on 4.9Ghz or they expect two sets of radios, one for public use and one for emergency use. That basically kills this idea in advance.
Two networks is too expensive and using a custom frequency means you cannot use retail equipment which means it will be way too costly to build the network and for users to buy equipment.

They would have a better shot at getting cell companies to offer a low speed free tier of ad supported internet using standard cell data cards, with the cell company having the ability to try to up sell faster ad free tiers.

Mr Fingers
@dslextreme.com

Mr Fingers

Anon

WhynotWimax?

Throw up one Wimax tower to cover the entire city with free Wimax service and then if the public wants to access the service buy a Wimax adapter for your computer and.....

Bam Bada Bing free service with 100% coverage.

Problem solved.

I'm heading straight to Fresno and running for mayor
in the next election, with the political competition
there now I could get a monkey elected in a landslide.
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