RSSAnaheim Launches Wi-Fi Network
By Ed Oswald | Published June 29, 2006, 2:58 PM
The city of Anaheim officially launched its wireless network on Thursday In cooperation with EarthLink. The ISP has announced two plans for usage, including occasional use and continuous access plans.
To support the Anaheim network and other Wi-Fi projects around the country, EarthLink has added a Wi-Fi option to its line of products, which include a modem, along with eight e-mail accounts and the company's malware protection tools. That package will cost $21.95 USD per month.
For those who plan to only use the Wi-Fi network occasionally, EarthLink introduced various occasional usage plans, from a one-hour pass retailing for $3.95 USD to a $15.95 USD three-day pass. Additional providers will also be able to offer their services on the network through third-party deals.
Intial wholesale partners include EarthLink subsidiary PeoplePC and DirecTV. AOL has also signed an agreement with the company and plans are in the works to offer the ISP's content on the network in the near future.
EarthLink also announced plans to assist smaller ISPs in setting up Wi-Fi networks in their own markets, as well as offering programs to use the EarthLink Wi-Fi network in markets that the company serves.
"The launch of this network enables people to make a choice about how, and from where, they want to access the Internet securely," EarthLink president and CEO Garry Betty said.
"EarthLink has always focused on providing the tools and services that allow our customers to personalize their Internet experiences. The launch of this municipal Wi-Fi network in Anaheim is the latest proof-point that we are delivering on that vision," he continued.
The Anaheim network is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of this year.
"Screw helping ppl as long as they can make money."
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This is the USA,not Saudia Arabia where they do the free lunch thing.Try wrapping your mind around the idea that you can help people and still make money.
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|Charles and Chewy are right (Charles and Chewy sounds like a sitcom on fox or something :))
BUT you are wrong. Here is why you are wrong. You are using something large companies dont use. Intelligence.
Well free will not happen for a while. Mainly since someone thinks they can make some money off of this. Screw helping ppl as long as they can make money.
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|That is not the correct business model! Earthlink should bundle for free this wifi, to its subscribers(or add a nominal ugrade fee)...And..... other Isp's that allow Earthlink to offer such services on their pipes, should work out agreements with it for their customers to have access for no / or minimal monthly upgrade fee, esp. for slower speeds.
There's plenty of free / community hotspots available, so I would not be tempted to pay much-- certainly not 2x my current rate at home.
And.......the city should also be looking into subsidizing this to foment business development and improve the prospects of ALL its residents.
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|I hear ya.
I agree with everything you said.
Personally, I'm against Earthlink doing this in all the major cities setting up WiFi. In my case, its Philadelphia.
Like you said, there are tons of free hotspots in the city, besides the fact that if you sign up for that FON service you get free access to other FON hotspots.
Since this network isn't exactly meant to be able to handle bittorrent traffic and such, it should be set up as a rather crippled network, crippled in the respect that all forms of P2P traffic is blocked (including usenet and legal music services). Then just make it free, or dirt cheap for the working class in the city, or those who are otherwise unable to afford comcast's or verizon's prices.
Without P2P and all those heavy traffic burdens you are talking about rather managable traffic, and shouldn't run costs through the roof.
Seriously, you don't have to set it up that everyone gets 54mbps, or even 11mbps. Just set it up that every person gets 1mbps/128kbps make it free, or dirt cheap. Very simple.
$5 a month for 1mbps/128kbps.
You could even go as far as to offer the purchase of a router to route the signal to everyone in a house, instead of having people connect multiple times from the same account.
My hope is to hear news that no one is subscribing to these WiFi networks and either 1) Earthlink decides to lower costs, or 2) just drop the ownership of the service and have it be run by the city government for free or something.
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|Cool!
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