Comments on: No More Free MuniFi for New Orleans http://gigaom.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/ Trusted Insights and Conversations on the Next Wave of Technology Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:03:27 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: IP Democracy http://gigaom.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70865 IP Democracy Fri, 27 Oct 2006 18:06:53 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70865 <p><strong>New Orleans' Free Wi-Fi Network to Go Dark…</strong></p> <p>In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans’ set up a free Wi-Fi network for businesses and residents to get connected to the Internet, providing a lifeline for a battered city. The network was built after receiving an exemption from…</p> New Orleans’ Free Wi-Fi Network to Go Dark…

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans’ set up a free Wi-Fi network for businesses and residents to get connected to the Internet, providing a lifeline for a battered city. The network was built after receiving an exemption from…

]]> By: kimo crossman http://gigaom.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70863 kimo crossman Tue, 24 Oct 2006 18:35:40 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70863 <p>Earthlink offers 3-hour free with their "Feather Nests" seems that should at least be offered.</p> <p>https://home.featherwifi.net/wifi_html</p> Earthlink offers 3-hour free with their “Feather Nests” seems that should at least be offered.

https://home.featherwifi.net/wifi_html

]]> By: Jerry Grasso http://gigaom.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70862 Jerry Grasso Tue, 24 Oct 2006 14:24:49 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70862 <p>innola: I think you have EarthLink confused with another provider…</p> innola: I think you have EarthLink confused with another provider…

]]> By: Jerry Grasso http://gigaom.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70861 Jerry Grasso Tue, 24 Oct 2006 14:20:01 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70861 <p>Exactly Om - we haven't nailed dates. Seems to me that you guys are trying to make 'new news' out of 'no news' and 'old news'. 'No news' - because there is nothing here. Katie is obviously just trying to get eyeballs to the site by connecting dots that aren't even on the same page. 'Old news' - because this is exactly the language we've been using since May. Nothing new at all…except this reply of mine. That's the only new aspect. </p> <p>We'll revisit in nearly a year. Another way of being vague :-), but truthfully, we don't have a date. We'll take a look next year. Don't know what 'gotcha' you are looking for in that…</p> <p>Jerry</p> Exactly Om – we haven’t nailed dates. Seems to me that you guys are trying to make ‘new news’ out of ‘no news’ and ‘old news’. ‘No news’ – because there is nothing here. Katie is obviously just trying to get eyeballs to the site by connecting dots that aren’t even on the same page. ‘Old news’ – because this is exactly the language we’ve been using since May. Nothing new at all…except this reply of mine. That’s the only new aspect.

We’ll revisit in nearly a year. Another way of being vague :-), but truthfully, we don’t have a date. We’ll take a look next year. Don’t know what ‘gotcha’ you are looking for in that…

Jerry

]]> By: innola http://gigaom.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70847 innola Tue, 24 Oct 2006 02:38:00 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70847 <p>the wireless network sucked anyway. it covered downtown - sweet an area where businesses already have 100mbit connections to each workers desktop, and no there are surprisingly few tourists wandering around the french quarter with an imac, a neck full of beads and a 40.</p> <p>the network is nowhere to be sniffed in the reidential areas such as the garden district, uptown/audoban park/loyola/tulane/and further where there are high densities.</p> <p>fortunately there's ton's of open ap's all over the place. i drive around that area and i never have to go more than a block before i connect and can skype/surf/email etc.</p> <p>earthlink: the same company that said they were going to build a 20m new headquarters in nola after katrina and then pulled it and sued the city instead for turning up their own wireless network. i'm sure your new and 'cost effective' wireless network will be great for the citizens of nola.</p> the wireless network sucked anyway. it covered downtown – sweet an area where businesses already have 100mbit connections to each workers desktop, and no there are surprisingly few tourists wandering around the french quarter with an imac, a neck full of beads and a 40.

the network is nowhere to be sniffed in the reidential areas such as the garden district, uptown/audoban park/loyola/tulane/and further where there are high densities.

fortunately there’s ton’s of open ap’s all over the place. i drive around that area and i never have to go more than a block before i connect and can skype/surf/email etc.

earthlink: the same company that said they were going to build a 20m new headquarters in nola after katrina and then pulled it and sued the city instead for turning up their own wireless network. i’m sure your new and ‘cost effective’ wireless network will be great for the citizens of nola.

]]> By: Om Malik http://gigaom.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70845 Om Malik Tue, 24 Oct 2006 01:24:55 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70845 <p>"in a few months" is as specific as "second half of next year."</p> “in a few months” is as specific as “second half of next year.”

]]> By: Jerry Grasso http://gigaom.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70843 Jerry Grasso Mon, 23 Oct 2006 22:17:20 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70843 <p>Om: We said we aren't revisiting the subject of the free tier until later next year. We can't be any more clear than that. So, until that time comes - there is free Wi-Fi. Then, we'll revisit it. No smoking gun here at all.</p> Om: We said we aren’t revisiting the subject of the free tier until later next year. We can’t be any more clear than that. So, until that time comes – there is free Wi-Fi. Then, we’ll revisit it. No smoking gun here at all.

]]> By: Om Malik http://gigaom.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70841 Om Malik Mon, 23 Oct 2006 21:06:14 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70841 <p>A few more months? could be anywhere from two to twelve, though i find it strange that the company cannot say how long is this going to be available for free. If Earthlink has the details - why not just be clear?</p> A few more months? could be anywhere from two to twelve, though i find it strange that the company cannot say how long is this going to be available for free. If Earthlink has the details – why not just be clear?

]]> By: Earthling - EarthLink blog http://gigaom.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70839 Earthling - EarthLink blog Mon, 23 Oct 2006 20:34:37 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70839 <p><strong>Clarifying Some New Orleans Wi-Fi Questions…</strong></p> <p>There was no particular news here other than the fact that our development efforts in New Orleans are taking shape on the ground. In the original press release and in my coverage on Earthling, it was spelled out that a free tier of service would be ava…</p> Clarifying Some New Orleans Wi-Fi Questions…

There was no particular news here other than the fact that our development efforts in New Orleans are taking shape on the ground. In the original press release and in my coverage on Earthling, it was spelled out that a free tier of service would be ava…

]]> By: Deisha Galberth, EarthLink Corporate Communications http://gigaom.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70837 Deisha Galberth, EarthLink Corporate Communications Mon, 23 Oct 2006 20:27:53 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70837 <p>From the time EarthLink was selected to build-out New Orleans (in May of this year), we have been very clear that the free tier is a service that we are providing to the city's residents and visitors as the city rebuilds. While we plan to revisit this offering in the second half of 2007, no decisions have been made about the free tier's timing and availability.</p> From the time EarthLink was selected to build-out New Orleans (in May of this year), we have been very clear that the free tier is a service that we are providing to the city’s residents and visitors as the city rebuilds. While we plan to revisit this offering in the second half of 2007, no decisions have been made about the free tier’s timing and availability.

]]> By: Voodoo Ventures - Idea Fuel Blog http://gigaom.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70835 Voodoo Ventures - Idea Fuel Blog Mon, 23 Oct 2006 19:45:04 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70835 <p><strong>New Orleans Wifi Alert: Mixed Messages…</strong></p> <p>I just read the post over at Gigaom by Katie Fehrenbacher titled “No More MuniFi for New Orleans” and immediately immediately felt a blow to the gut reminding me of the one that Katrina dealt our city just over a year ago.  This is a devel…</p> New Orleans Wifi Alert: Mixed Messages…

I just read the post over at Gigaom by Katie Fehrenbacher titled “No More MuniFi for New Orleans” and immediately immediately felt a blow to the gut reminding me of the one that Katrina dealt our city just over a year ago.  This is a devel…

]]> By: geb geb http://gigaom.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70833 geb geb Mon, 23 Oct 2006 18:31:14 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70833 <p>Nothing is free. Muni "free" wifi will go the way of the free internet dialup access - either find someone like advertisers to pay for it, or make users pay. The real question is: will wifi work for muni internet access? My answer is no: it will not penetrate buildings, it will get interference, it needs too many access points, it does not support high speed mobility, it will not be everywhere. You will likely see wifi in selected areas in future combined with some kind of wifi or cellular wireless data everywhere else.</p> Nothing is free. Muni “free” wifi will go the way of the free internet dialup access – either find someone like advertisers to pay for it, or make users pay. The real question is: will wifi work for muni internet access? My answer is no: it will not penetrate buildings, it will get interference, it needs too many access points, it does not support high speed mobility, it will not be everywhere. You will likely see wifi in selected areas in future combined with some kind of wifi or cellular wireless data everywhere else.

]]> By: Niall Kennedy http://gigaom.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70831 Niall Kennedy Mon, 23 Oct 2006 17:36:58 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2006/10/23/new-orleans-munifi/#comment-70831 <p>I think shutting down the existing municipal WiFi network in New Orleans is a good thing. I believe it was based on a security camera network that was opened to the public after Katrina. The sparse population of the city accessing the network at the time kept it up, but from people I've talked to who have tried to use it, signal strength could not even penetrate local businesses.</p> I think shutting down the existing municipal WiFi network in New Orleans is a good thing. I believe it was based on a security camera network that was opened to the public after Katrina. The sparse population of the city accessing the network at the time kept it up, but from people I’ve talked to who have tried to use it, signal strength could not even penetrate local businesses.

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