Philadelphia plans nation's first citywide Wi-Fi network
The city of Philadelphia will become the largest U.S. Internet "hot spot" next year under a plan to offer wireless access at about half the cost charged by commercial operators, city officials said Thursday. Last year, officials unveiled a pilot scheme offering users of Wi-Fi-enabled computers access to the Internet within a radius of about a mile of downtown's Love Park. Thursday's announcement expands the network to the city's entire 135-square-mile area, marking a U.S. first.
The "Wireless Philadelphia" network is expected to be up by late summer 2006 and available to computer users paying up to $20 a month. Commercial Wi-Fi services run about $40 monthly.
"People are watching all over the world to determine whether a city of 135 square miles can become one big hot spot," Philadelphia Mayor John Street told reporters.
"People want to be connected and we think it is our obligation to provide that kind of access," Street said.
The network, based on devices attached to city streetlight poles, is expected to cost the city $15 million to set up.
