Assuming the contract negotiations pan out, Earthlink has been chosen to build a citywide Wi-Fi network for the city of Houston. Houston's proposed 600-square-mile service area will make the mesh Wi-Fi deployment the largest in North America, according to the company.

"This is a very important initiative for Houston as it will bring the consumer cost of broadband down significantly and already has," says Mayor Bill White (any locals know what he's talking about?). "It will provide a scarce resource to help our low-income households have access, benefiting students at home, helping telecommuters for whom childcare or transportation creates limitations, and benefiting telemedicine in the future. Houston's workforce will be more productive," White insists.

Also see this recent story on Earthlink's struggles, and the company's muni-Fi details.